Staying Proud
by VEcuzimlazy
Summary: Chloe really messed up. Ladybug has taken the bee miraculous back permanently and even Hawkmoth won't akumatize her anymore. This time Chloe has no one to blame but herself so she runs to her grandmothers house. Six years later Chloe returns to Paris ready to prove that she's allowed to be proud of herself, even if no one else is proud of her. - after Miracle Queen
1. Chapter 1

"Utterly ridiculous." Chloe muttered lightly kicking a pebble out of her way. When she had stormed away from the scene her head had been high, nose in the air. Now she was alone, skirting through allies so no one would see how upset she actually was.

It was her fault. This time it really was her own fault. The other instances she could explain away, over sensitive people akumatized because of the words of someone they didn't even care about. Chloe knew they didn't care about her. It was their own fault for being sensitive babies. But recently, recently it had felt as if things were changing. Like people might not actually hate her, might see how great she actually was!

She bit her lip, standing frustrated in the ally. Even Hawkmoth wouldn't akumatize her now, she had served her purpose and she had failed. It was the same with Ladybug, she would never return the bee miraculous now.

Her face turned red with the effort of not crying, her shaking hands balled into fists. What was she supposed to do now? Her parents were planning their second honeymoon, the incident had only made them grow closer. Of course they did, couples only grew close after major conflict. Right? So even that dumb Marinette's parents didn't love each other as much as her parents did. So why did every relationship she cared about fall apart so easily?

"Ridiculous." She muttered again, resuming her walk home.

When she reached her fathers hotel she found it surrounded by press.

"Where is she?" one reporter asked the doorman forcefully, "where is Chloe Bourgeois?"

"Is it true that she knowingly joined up with Hawkmoth?" Another asked shoving a microphone into his face.

"Miss Chloe is not in at the moment," the doorman said firmly, "and even if she was you brutes are expressly _not_ allowed in the building. We have many famous guests staying with us that you will not bother."

Chloe darted back into an ally, breathing hard.

"I can't go back home," she breathed, "they'll all come after me." She sank down to a crouch, hugging her knees. "What am I supposed to do?"

A handsome green-eyed face flashed across her thoughts. "That's right! Adrakins will help me!" She leaped up, eyes flashing, but her face quickly fell. Adrian had once told her that he couldn't continue being friends with her if she continued being mean. Adrian might have helped her before, but now it was public knowledge that Chloe had willingly become Miracle Queen. She sank back down. "No he won't. He won't help me anymore."

She took a deep breath and looked up, determined. "This will get me nowhere. I can't worry about anyone else. I won't regret my actions."

She stood up and whipped out her phone, swiping through her contacts. She held her breath, impatiently tapping her fingers on the aged brick next to her as she listened to the ringing on the other end. Finally she heard the satisfying click indicating that the receiver had been picked up.

"Grandmere," Chole said relieved. She shook herself and stated, "I'm coming to stay with you."

"Oh," her grandmothers calm elderly voice said from the other end, "Not running away to New York with your mother?"

"I'm _not_ running away."

"And?"

"and she and daddykins are going on a second honeymoon."

She heard her grandmother click her tongue. "and when her own daughters having such a hard time."

"You know what happened?" Chloe asked, voice small.

"No. But I know you wouldn't call me otherwise. When should I expect you?"

"I-I don't know yet," Chloe said, glancing behind her. The reporters were getting rowdy again. "I'll text you when I'm on the train."

"Very well dear, but I expect a full explanation when you arrive."

"Of course Grandmere. Byby!"

She hung up and sprinted away from her hiding spot. It was all too close to home, literally.

Worried that she might be recognized chole took off her signature yellow jacket and let her hair down, flipping her sunglasses down over her face. She walked nervously down the road, turning away anytime her attack on Paris as Miracle Queen was shown on screen above the busy streets.

When she got on the train she turned a bit green, her previous experience on the train had taken place in zero gravity. Even then Ladybug hadn't called her for help. Apparently anyone was better than Queen Bee. She had chosen some four-eyes to help her instead.

She walked up to first class, nonchalantly walking into her privet cabin space and sitting down. She took her sun glasses off and blew out a stream of air. Safe. No one was chasing her. She pulled out her phone and texted her grandmother what time to expect her. She got a text back that her grandmothers butler would be there to pick her up.

After an hour of staring out the window, her usual ability to fall asleep while traveling incapacitated because of her nerves, her phone started to ring. Glancing down she saw it was her father. She sighed and picked up.

"Chloe! Darling! Where are you? Your mother and I are all packed. None of the staff have seen you since Ladybug de-akumatized you!"

"I'm fine daddy, ok. I just don't want to go on your stupid 'second honeymoon'. Watching you and mom act all lovey-dovey is, like, really gross."

"Don't say that Chloe dear! We want you to come. Where are you? Your mother and I are both very worried!"

"I'm NOT going dad. I'm not even going back home."

"Chloe, darling, dearest, what to you mean? Come back home!"

Chloe stopped him, clicking her tongue. "No dad. _I'm_ going to go stay with grandmere. You and mom can go off and, do whatever sad thing you guys do when I'm not there."

She brought the phone away from her ear. Mayor Bourgeois still audibly saying "Wait! Chloe! Which grandm-" when she cut him off, hanging up.

She sat back and sighed. There was no way she was going to tell anyone the real reason she had left. Even she could hardly believe it. Chloe Bourgeois? Scared of the public? Ridiculous! She was supposed to be beloved by the public! Her father was the mayor for crying out loud. Her mother the most sought after and respected fashion critic in the world. The people should love and _adore_ her – but this time… this time even daddy wouldn't be able to help her completely.

Chloe's grandmother lived in an old chateau, modest compared to Chloe's modern upbringing but undoubtedly grand. The lady herself would have been comfortable living in the sun kings court. Even so she accepted Choles hug when the girl ran to her, clinging around her waist.

"Oh grandmere! It's ridiculous! Utterly Ridiculous!" Chloe's uncaring demenor cracked in her grandmother care.

The elderly woman smiled softly, an increasingly common event on her normally stern features. "I know Chloe dear. I know. Let's go inside for some tea."

Chloe sniffed and looked up at her grandmothers face, nose and eyes red. "Can I have hot chocolate instead?"

"Of course dear. Come on, let's go in." They turned to the imposing door and swept in to the castle.

Behind them the door swung closed with a heavy clank, leaving the poor butler to find his own way in while holding all the things Chloe had bought between the train station and the chateau.


	2. Chapter 2

"Now then," Chloe's grandmother said bringing her gold rimmed china to her lips, "why don't you tell me what happened."

Chloe looked down at her own mug of hot chocolate, fingers rubbing the side in an attempt to seek comfort from its warmth. She opened her mouth to start but shameful tears immediately sprang to her eyes and her lips began to tremble. She shut her mouth again, biting her lower lip in an attempt to keep them still.

Her grandmother sighed and sat back in her plush velvet chair, watching her grand-daughter with weary understanding. "I won't rush you," she said bringing her cup back down to its matching china counterpart, "tell the tale on your own time."

After a moment Choe was ready. She threw her head back and finished what was left of her hot chocolate in one gulp, wiping her mouth uncaringly on her sleeve. She set the mug down on the rich wooden coffee table between her and her grandmother and sat up primly, lower lip stiff and hands firmly planted in her lap.

"It was Hawkmoth." She started.

"That supervillain they're always reporting about back in Paris?"

"Duh. Do you people out here in the boonies not get akumatized or something?"

"No one has ever been akumatized outside of Paris dear, it's safe to say that his powers are limited."

"Pshh," Chloe said raising her chin, "then he's not all that powerful after all."

"You're getting sidetracked dear."

"Right." Chloe became more somber again, clenching her fingers in her lap. "He, well, he offered me the chance to join up with him. I took him up on his offer. It was dumb, I know, but I was desperate!"

She looked at her grandmother but saw no reaction, on an indifferent sipping of tea. Chloe sat back ever so slightly, her shoulders starting to relax. This wasn't her school, no one would judge her here.

"I was desperate," she repeated. "All I wanted to do was prove myself, to prove that I was a great person. To prove that I could match Ladybug, that my classmates were wrong about me. I wanted to prove that I was a good person. I had done so much, tried so hard. So hard,"

She thought back to the time she had refused Hawkmoth, suffering through unclear thoughts and a splitting headache to tell him no. To prove she was one of the good guys, one of the heroes. She sniffed, eyes burning with the effort it took to hold back her tears.

"I tried so hard grandmere. I did everything a hero should do. But it wasn't enough. Nothing was ever enough. Not for her, that perfect Ladybug." A couple of angry tears had slipped out. Chloe quickly wiped them away and forced herself to keep her head up, refusing to relinquish her pride. "When the time came and Ladybug needed me she chose someone else, who could only do half the job I could. Even after I tried so hard she didn't believe in me. It was then I realized that she had given up on me completely. She would never give me my bee miraculous back. A-and then Mayura appeared. She and Hawkmoth offered me everything I ever wanted, all the power I needed. But I would have to give up my dream of being a hero." Suddenly Chloe burst out crying, words just barely discernable through her tears. "Oh, grandmere! I did it! I gave up on my dream, I gave up on myself! No one had expected anything from me from the beginning, least of all Ladybug. As soon as I realized that I-I-I just didn't care anymore! More than prove that I was worthy I just needed the power, my Pollen, my bee miraculous. And Hawkmoth offered it all to me."

"So you fell for his words." Her grandmother said calmly, finishing off her tea.

"It was ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous! I know, I know! And I've never regretted anything so much in my entire life because I failed, because I proved Ladybug right. Because I still think that I was justified but I know not even Sabrina will agree with me. And now Ladybug has no use for me and Hawkmoth has no use for me and no one has any use for me not even my parents and I will never be of use to anyone even though I'm me!"

The grand lady stood up and sat next to her distraught grandchild, hugging her and stroking her hair. "Ah, ah, ma belle. I have use for you. Your parents have use for you. Even if we didn't it wouldn't matter because you are our dear Chloe who exists so we can love you. Don't waste your life in regret ma belle, don't leave your Bourgeois pride behind and don't let it be torn own. Hold your head high and be exactly who you want to be. Ma belle, you were born to be loved."

"I know grandmere," Chloe said, clinging to her grandmothers chest, "but I don't feel it right now. I don't feel anything but shame, and anger, and resentment."

"I know Chloe, ma belle, I know. But it will pass. I promise, it will pass."

"It was my fault this time grandmere, how can I ever get away from this?"

Her grandmother continued to stroke her hair calmly, looking out her wide windows with unseen wistful eyes. She stayed silent, unable to answer Chloe's question, unable to give her the answer she knew she was looking for. Some mistakes would follow a person for the rest of their lives. It would be cruel to tell Chloe otherwise, no matter how much she wished it were true.


	3. Chapter 3

It had been six years since Chloe had seemingly dropped off the map. It had been an eerily quiet exit for the famously flamboyant girl, but no one had really missed her. It only took a month for rumors to die down and a year for her classmates to practically forget that she had been part of the class. Soon she was no more than a faded memory they were happy to forget. Even the mousy Sabrina was quick to move on, clinging to Layla for the rest of their educational careers. Chloe was no longer even on the list of Marinette's problems.

"Tikki, what am I supposed to do?" Marinette groaned leaning back in her chair, her dark pigtails swinging down behind her having grown out over the years. "I applied thinking there was no way I would get accepted and now I am accepted and I have a scholarship but it's out of Paris but we're closing in on Hawkmoth so I can't leave Paris but I really want to go but I can't because I have Ladybug responsibility's and besides even if I did go people would be able to put two and two together as soon as Ladybug appears there and everyone will find out that I'm Ladybug but-"

"Marinette! Breath," Tikki interrupted, flying in front of her panicking partners face, "This is supposed to be a good thing."

"I know Tikki, I know, but this is a real problem. It's the best fashion school in the US and it's my dream to go there, but I can't just drop everything and leave Paris. They need me, they need Ladybug. Especially now."

"You can't do both," Tikki said, round red head wrinkled a bit in concern, "I'm sorry Marinette, but you have to make a choice."

"That's just it Tikki, my choice is already made. I have so much responsibility now, I've had it since Master Fu left the Miracle Box in my care. I can't just abandon Paris, I can't abandon chat noir, I can't abandon Ladybug. I have to turn down the opportunity."

"I'm sorry Marinette." Tikki said quietly, sinking down to sit despondently on the desk.

"Cheer up Tikki," Marinette said, forcing herself to look on the bright side, "It's not all bad. Now I can continue hanging out with Alya, Nino, Kagami, and Adrian. And besides, I can't even speak English. Don't feel bad."

"And stay close to Luka?" Tikki asked, giggling as a light blush tinted Marinette's cheeks.

"And Luka." Marinette confirmed.

Marinette's phone started ringing. Glancing down she saw that it was Alya and picked up.

Alya didn't even wait for a hello. "Girl, you are NOT going to believe this scoop I got."

"What is it this time Alya," Marinette asked, used to this type of conversation.

"Okay, okay, I _know_ I say that a lot, but this time I mean it."

"Alya, I'm at the edge of my seat, hurry up and tell me!"

"Chloe's back."

Marinette choked. "_Chloe_, as in Chloe Bourgeois."

"Ya girl, and that's not all."

Marinette leaned forward in her chair, biting her thumbnail as she listened.

Alya continued. "She somehow weaseled her way into the same university as Adrian."

"Where did you even get this info Alya? How do you know that it's true?"

"I got it directly from the source. I overheard Mayor Bourgeois talking to his wife about it while I was shadowing Nadia Chamak for my internship. This is for real."

"But why now? We haven't seen her since the whole Miracle Queen incident."

"I don't know girl, but I'm going to find out. Look, I gotta go, Nino's been trying to plan his schedule around mine for the past hour and I just got off work so I'm gunna help him out. I'll contact you when I know more."

Marinette grabbed a jacket and her earbuds as soon as she hung up, Tikki watching worriedly.

"What's going on Marinette?" Tikki asked, settling into her coat pocket, "What's this about Chloe?"

"She's coming back to Paris," Marinette answered, handing her a macaroon as and apology for her abrupt behavior, "Which means we have to keep an eye on her as well as Hawkmoth. Now I really can't leave."

"Mabey she's changed." Tikki offered.

"That brat? I doubt it. She's the only person I know of besides Lila who willingly teamed up with Hawkmoth."

"She's also the only person who ever successfully refused getting akumatized."

Marinette sighed and smiled down at Tikki. "There is that. But I still think we need to keep an eye on her. What if she tries to steal the Bee Miraculous again?"

With that she left her room and passed her parents down the stairs, grabbing an extra cookie on her way out. It had been years since Chloe last crossed her mind and she was still processing the information that she was back. How? Why? If only she could just clear her head. That's why she had decided to go on a walk, but things were never that simple anymore. Instead she contemplated what she was going to do about her career since she couldn't leave Paris as she walked, the other half of her brain focused on the news broadcast playing on her phone in case anyone got akumatized. It was happening more and more often lately, as if Hawkmoth was building up to something.

'_Or_,' a little voice inside her head said, '_or maybe he's getting desperate_.'

She shook off the thought. She had no proof and normally when Hawkmoth akumatized so many people it was in preparation for a larger plan. That was far more likely. She did not know Hawkmoths goal, why he wanted her and Chat Noir's Miraculous. Considering their power it could be for any number of reasons. He had been doing this for years, there was no reason for him to become desperate now.

'_Unless,_' the little voice nagged, '_unless he's running out of time_'.

She shook her head and looked up at the sky framed by the Parisian roofs. "I need to talk to Chat Noir." She murmured, watching her breath rise above her head. It was still only fall, but winter seemed to be coming early this year.


	4. Chapter 4

Chloe looked around her room, arms crossed, as her butler carted in her luggage. It was her first time back in it since she had snuck off to her grandmothers six years ago, but it had hardly changed at all. All the furniture was the same, only the clothes in her closet had been thrown out. Even the yellow teddy bear she had relied on all those years ago was perfectly placed on his pillow of honor. But she hadn't relied on Mr. Cuddles in a long time. She hadn't been able to bring him along at the time after all.

"Miss Bourgeois," her butler said tentatively getting her attention, "all your things have been put away."

"You may leave." She said shooing him off shortly, wincing inwardly at her own words. She bit her lip. She had just barely gotten used to saying thanks to her grandmothers servants, now that she was back in her fathers hotel it was harder to do than ever. At first it felt like she was rejecting herself every time she said thanks, now she hated her weakness in being unable to voice the bare minimum.

She had worked hard the past six years, following her grandmothers advice. Everything she did was to become exactly who she wanted to be. She still hadn't reached that point, and it was even harder now that she was back in Paris. Here her past self and past mistakes felt frozen in time. Even the butler, Jean – whatever his name was, was the same as when she had left six years ago.

Chloe took a deep breath and strutted out onto her balcony, looking out at the city below her. A light breeze blew back her loose blond hair and she grabbed the railing, taking another breath.

"Guess I'm back." She murmured.

A large boom shocked her out of her reflections and she saw a large flash from between the buildings. She leaned forward and spotted an akuma victim dancing around below her, taunting and jeering at some unseen force. Chloe narrowed her eyes and leaned even further forward, unconsciously searching the tiny scene.

There! A long silver poll burst out of the shadows, knocking the villain off of its feet. A red blur leaped over it all, throwing something at it opponent before landing. Faintly Chloe heard the slightly deepened voice of Ladybug yell "Chat Noir! Now!" A black blur ran out of an ally, grabbing the villains back. It was over.

A black dot rose, closer and closer, till it was right in front of Chloe's mesmerized face. She heard a faint whirring and suddenly the butterfly shaped akuma was replaced by the unmistakable red yoyo Ladybug used. As quickly as it had come up it went back down, akuma safely captured within. Below she could just barely hear Ladybug say, "by by Little Butterfly."

Chloe turned away, ready to walk back inside. She hadn't even been back half an hour! She had known that running into Ladybug was inevitable especially since she was the mayors beloved daughter, Jealous wannabes and dangerous stalkers were sure to follow her kind of connections, but she hadn't thought it would be so soon.

Before she could get back inside Chloe heard a soft thud behind her. She turned just in time to see a shocked Ladybug let her yoyo go lax.

"Is that-" Ladybug started, obviously biting back her words. It was clear the superhero hadn't been expecting to see her standing there.

Chloe sighed and spun on her heels to face her old hero. She looked the heroic vigilantly up and down taking just how much Ladybug had changed over the years. She was taller, black pigtails now much longer and flowing down her back. Even her body was noticeably changed, more shapely and muscular. Only her face, obscured by the mask, was unable to reveal just how much time had changed the hero.

After a moment of stunned silence Chloe shifted her weight and crossed her arms. "Hello Ladybug," she said, voice with a little more bite than she cared to admit, "Long time no see."

"Chloe?" Ladybug asked, unconsciously taking a half step forward.

"How sweet," Chloe said, bitterly twirling a strand of her hair, "you remember me."

"I didn't think," Ladybug said, "I mean I heard you were coming back, but I didn't think you were here yet. I'm sorry for startling you."

"You're the one who looks startled to me."

Ladybug stepped back, twirling her yoyo again. "I'm not going to argue right now Chloe, I'm running out of time before I transform back."

Chloe stayed silent, biting her tongue. She wasn't planning on arguing either, but just remembering her last interaction with Ladybug made it take everything she had to hold back.

Ladybug turned around, throwing her yoyo so it latched onto some unseen building in the distance. Before she took off she sighed, defeated, and turned back one last time. "Welcome back to Paris Chloe." She swung off.

Chloe went back into her room, fists balled. Ladybug had done nothing to hide the fact that she thought she was a nuisance. She may have said "welcome back", but everything about the heroes body language had said otherwise. It was final then. If Ladybug didn't want her back then no one did.

She kicked an unfortunate ottoman, making it roll unhinged across the room, before plopping into the nearest chair.

"It's fine," She told herself, "I'm already here. They're going to get me whether they want me or not."

She took out her phone and scrolled through her contacts. If Ladybug knew about her return how many others knew as well? Looks like it was time to announce her presence in the city. Almost all her contacts were old, her social circle almost nonexistent in the years she stayed with her grandmother. She selected all her old classmates starting with good old Sabrina. When she reached Adrien's number she paused for a moment, chewing the inside of her cheek.

If anyone was going to be genuinely happy to see her it would be him. But she already knew he wouldn't be happy to see her. Not after she had betrayed Paris, joined Hawkmoth. Even if it hadn't led anywhere. He was the only person she genuinely cared that she had disappointed.

She added him to the list as well. She wasn't going to run away this time.

She sent out the text.

**I'M BACK**.


	5. Chapter 5

There were a lot of colleges in Paris but this particular one was new, founded by famed fashion designer Gabriel Agreste. Just in time for his son to enroll no less. The Agreste School of Fine Arts and Business was pretty straight forward. It focused on teaching the fine arts, everything from fashion to animation, as well as the business aspects it took for a person to succeed and _not_ become a starving artist. It had only been open two years but was already well respected in its field and offering multiple scholarships.

Chloe didn't need scholarships and she wasn't going to pretend that she did. Instead she chose her major and applied to the school, determined to succeed without help. She didn't count her father paying as help, she would eventually be richer than him after all. It was just a small loan.

When the first day of the new semester rolled around Chloe was ready. She had long since given up on her ponytail, it was too childish for her new adult self. Instead she wore her hair loose, curling the ends just enough to add a tasteful wave. Her make up was thick, but more natural than when she was young. Her outfit was sleek and fashion ready, covered in her signature yellow and black colors. Everyone would recognize her. She was going to make sure of that.

As her driver rolled up to the college Chloe took a deep breath and reapplied her lip-gloss.

"Okay Chloe Bourgeois," She said, hyping herself up, "time to make your entrance."

People had started to crowd the car, admiring the expensive vehicle. The driver got out and opened the door, the crowd parting to let whoever was in it through. Out came Chloe, bag slung over one shoulder and slacks ready for business. As she stepped forward someone shoved their way through the crowd.

"Chloe?!" A familiar shrill voice said.

Chloe turned to find a familiar red head heading for her. Sabrina. She hadn't grown much over the years, height wise at least. Her red hair had been trimmed back to a pixie cut and she had gotten a small nose piercing. Chloe blinked, taking a second look. It was unmistakably Sabrina, but it just didn't _feel_ like Sabrina.

A second later the saw another girl come up behind Sabrina. That explained it. Layla. She had kept her orange color scheme but now tied her hair back into a loose low ponytail. Everything about her exuded innocence, but Chloe knew that Sabrina tended to reflect her style to match whatever her 'friends' needed. If she was hanging out with Layla looking like that, as it seemed she was, then nothing was as it seemed.

"Oh my gosh, is that you Chloe?" Lila said, sliding up to her, "It's been sooo long. You've gotten so pretty!"

Okay. Backwards complement. That wasn't going to fly. "Sabrina I know," Chloe said flicking her fingers, "You I don't."

"Ohh, Chloe, don't say that. It's me, Lila, remember? I transferred in the semester you transferred out."

"Oh right, the girl with the secret way to call Ladybug. Tell me, how did that go again?"

"Oh, um, I can't do it here. Then everyone would do it to try and call Ladybug."

Chloe turned on her heels, shooting the girl a lazy glare. "That's what I thought. I'd rethink the way you make _friends_ Sabrina."

As her heels clicked away an unseen force followed her pace, scanning the people around her.

"Yes," The deep gravelly voice said from its dark lair, "That's the Chloe Bourgeois I know. So curt. So… exploitable. With her back the number of akumatized victims will escalate along with my plans. And then…. heheHeHEHAHAHAHA!"

Dozens of shining white butterfly's scattered around him, disturbed by Hawkmoth's noise. He stopped laughing suddenly and brought down his cane with a satisfying thud.

"Welcome back to Paris Chloe," he sneered, "I'm so happy you decided to return."

* * *

In a chattering mess hall a group of students were talking worriedly over their table.

"Do you think it's true?" a heavy set girl with beautiful puffy hair pulled back into a ponytail said.

"I don't know Mylene," Alex said, her choice of hot pink hair unchanged from when she was younger though the pizza delivery uniform was new, "all the text said was 'I'm back'."

"Logically it makes sense that she's returned," Max said punching numbers into his phone uninterested, "otherwise the text would make no sense."

"It sounds kinda ominous," Julika mumbled, tugging her grey cabby hat further over her face.

"Don't say that!" A perky Rose said pushing her gloomy friend over a bit, "The fact that she texted us shows that she cared enough to reach out. Mabey she's changed."

"Sure," Alex said blowing a strand of hair out of her face, "Queen of the world Chloe has changed. Have any of us mentioned the fact that she _willingly_ joined up with Hawkmoth the last time we saw her yet, or are we just going to conveniently leave that part out."

"It was on the news at the time…" Mylene relented.

"Hey, I think it's cool she's coming back," A very bulky Kim cut in, "maybe she'll let me use the hotel pool to practice!"

"I'd say that there's a 98% chance of that _not_ happening Kim." Max said pushing up his glasses.

"Well I think-" A slightly slimmed down Ivan started, only to be cut off by the arrival of Lila and Sabrina.

"Hey guys," Lila said sliding into the already crowded table, "What are you talking about?"

"We were wondering if Chloe's really back or not," Mylene said, "since she sent that text out to all of us."

"Oh, she's back all right," Lila said, "we saw her this morning, didn't we Sabrina."

"Yes Lila! It's true. She's attending this school." Sabrina said, standing awkwardly behind them all as there was no room left at the table.

A beeper went off and Alex looked down at her watch. "Crap. Well I'm not a part of this school. And my break's over. See y'all later! Enjoy the pizza!"

Sabrina took her spot as Alex ran off.

"Do Alya and Marinette know?" Kim asked, taking a huge slice of the pizza Alex had left for them.

"Good question Kim," Max said, "they weren't exactly on the best of terms with her. I'd say yes as she sent the text to all of us."

"She wasn't on the best of terms with most of us." Iven said sobering the mood.

"Oh come now," Lila said, grabbing a slice of pizza for herself, "it's been years since any of us last saw her. We should at least give her a chance."

"You're too sweet for this world." Mylene said, giving her a hug.

"I know." Lila replied smiling, taking a small bite of her slice of pizza.


	6. Chapter 6

Ladybug sat on a rung of the Eiffel Tower, lightly swinging her feet as she watched the smoky sunset before her. A light breeze blew her hair back followed by the light tap of Chat Noir landing next to her.

"A little late aren't we kitty?" Ladybug teased as he took a seat next to her.

"Deepest apologies My Lady," Chat Noir said laughing, "but in all seriousness, it's getting harder to find space to transform without being seen. I don't wanna let the cat out of the bag you know."

"You dork." She smiled softly, closing her eyes to take in the sun.

Chat Noir looked at her softly before turning his own eyes to the slowly dwindling sunlight. "What was it you wanted to talk about?"

Ladybug sighed tiredly, the swinging of her legs slowed to a stop. "You remember back whenever we first got our Miraculous? That first year at least half of the people akumatized were all antagonized by one person."

"Why are we talking about something that happened so long ago?" Chat Noir asked with the uncomfortable feeling that he knew where this was going.

"The person who instigated those events is back. You might remember Chloe Bourgeois."

"Oh, yah," he said, feigning an indifferent proximity to the subject, "she was the rich girl, right? Mayor Bourgeois's daughter?"

"That's the one." A wrinkle had appeared between her eyebrows. "I might just be oversensitive, but I think we should keep an eye on her. She might come for the bee miraculous. She might join up with Hawkmoth again."

"That was years ago Bugaboo, I don't think we need to keep that close of an eye on her."

"Hawkmoth is planning something Chat Noir, we have to keep an eye on everything! Especially those who chose to use their powers for evil."

"Is something wrong Ladybug?" Chat asked, laying a hand on her shoulder, "you seem a bit tense lately."

"I don't know Chat, I just feel like everything's happening at once. I'm sure you feel it too. It's becoming harder and harder to separate my personal life from my hero responsibility's. And now Chloe's back to top it all."

Chat Noir sat back, stretching his arms out behind his head. "I know what you mean bugaboo. It feels like every part of my life is becoming more and more invasive." He slouched down a bit, letting his hands rest in his lap. He opened his mouth like he was about to say more but shut it again. This wasn't the time for thoughts like that.

"I'm sorry for complaining kitty, thanks for listening."

"Always bugaboo."

Ladybug laughed, lightly punching him on the arm. "What's with you today Chat? I've not been call bugaboo so many times in a long while."

Chat looked away, pressing his lips together.

"Hey, Chat? What's wrong?"

"She broke up with me yesterday." He whispered, barely audible in the evening wind.

"Oh kitty!" This time it was Ladybug's turn to put her hand on Chat's shoulder. "I'm so sorry Chat, I didn't know. You guys have been together for almost five years now!"

Chat Noir sighed and turned back to his Lady with a resigned smile. "I should have seen it coming," he admitted, "I'm not cut out for long distance relationships and we had been stiff for awhile. But-"

"But it still hurts." Ladybug finished for him.

The sun disappeared completely behind the horizon, leaving only a dull final glow behind at the edge of the sky.

"Ya," he said voice cracking, "It does." He stood up, the nights first stars silhouetting his head. "I have to go. I'll see you tomorrow for patrol."

Ladybug stood as well, "I'll see you then Chat Noir, and hey," she took his hand and squeezed it, "It'll get better."

He offered a small smile, "I know."

* * *

Chloe had opted to walk home for once in her life. Being back in halls where she could recognize malicious faces had drained her, she hoped being around strangers who had no positive or negative opinion of her would help her recharge. It was getting late, the street lamps already obscured the stars. Still the city was alive.

She remembered when she went to visit her mom in New York the city had been much the same, popular streets lit and busy even passed midnight. It was only seven now.

She walked past groups of people chatting and gazed up at the Eiffel Tower, now ablaze with lights. At one time it had been scorned by Parisian's, now they flaunted it as if it were unique in all the world.

As she walked she heard a familiar voice through the crowd.

"I'm so sorry Alya! I completely forgot, I'll be there in ten."

Chloe stopped and turned, not ten feet away from her stood her old nemesis. Marinette. The other girl did not see her, absorbed in her phone call. Chloe took a couple steps closer and then Marinette moved, revealing two long pigtails flowing in her wake.

Chloe froze, realization dawning across her face. No. No. No. It was impossible. It didn't make sense. Other people would have noticed. Wouldn't they? But then, Chloe had been away for years. She had seen Ladybug grow naturally as time passed on the news, but she had never sought out pictures of her classmates. For Marinette to have grown her hair out the exact same length as Ladybug, for her body to have developed in the exact same way. Perhaps it was such a natural change that their classmates didn't notice. Most of all, it would explain why Ladybug treated her with such distrust. She had no proof, but it made too much sense.

_Marinette_ _is Ladybug_.


	7. Chapter 7

"It's strange," Hawkmoths gravelly voice echoed through his dark chamber, heavy brow furrowed through his silvery mask.

"What is sir?" Natalie said coming up behind him, pushing up her glasses.

"No one has become upset enough to be akumatized while hanging around Chloe. I've been monitoring her for a week now."

"Pardon me for saying sir, but I don't see anything particularly strange about that. She doesn't know enough people to antagonize them right now. She's reorienting."

"True, Natalie, but her actions don't seem subtle enough for her to be simply reorienting."

"What do you mean sir?"

"Every day after classes she goes to the streets instead of home, always around the same person."

"An old friend?"

"No. She's not interacting with the person. It's almost like she's following them, watching them."

"Sir?"

"Natalie," Hawkmoth turned to his assistant, "I need you to look someone up."

Natalie turned on the tablet she always kept by her side, brushing a stray hair out of her face, waiting for Hawkmoth to continue. He closed his eyes, concentrating, focusing in on the senses of the akuma he had following Chloe. It flew over the girls head, moving closer to the twin tailed target. Close enough to see her face, to read her feelings, to find her name.

"What is the name sir?" Natalie asked, the glow from her tablet casting a dull blue light over her face.

Hawkmoth opened his eyes, looking out the butterfly shaped window arching over him. "Marinette Dupain-Chenge."

* * *

"Luca!" Marinette called, throwing her arms around him. The boy had grown into a man over the years, his hair now died completely blue and grown out just enough to shake wildly as he turned his head.

"Marinette," he said smiling, hugging her back as she fell on top of him, "What's going on? I haven't seen you this happy in a while."

"I got an Internship with Gabriel Agreste! It even come's with a scholarship to his college!"

"That's great Marinette! But what about that overseas opportunity you were talking about?"

He immediately regretted saying anything. She glanced away from him, smile turning stiff the way it did when she was hiding something from him. It had been appearing more and more often lately. She would flicker off into her own world at the drop of a hat, making obvious excuses when she left their dates early or arrived late. She was hiding something from him, he had known that since the day she had come up to him crying six years ago, but no matter how long he waited she never let on what it was. Of course he had his own suspicions, though they were nothing he could confirm, but he had promised himself to wait until she was ready to tell him herself. That promise was getting harder and harder to keep. He braced himself, readying to believe whatever lie Marinette was about to tell.

"Ya, that," Marinette said, her cheerfulness becoming forced, "I, uh, didn't make it in. It was a long shot anyway, and I'd much rather study here in Paris. Now I can be close to you!"

She looked him in the eyes again, searching to see if he had bought it. Luca smiled, at least that last part seemed to be true.

"Lucky me then," He said, shifting so she was sitting next to him on the park bench instead of on top.

She blushed and quickly sat primly beside him, tucking a stray part of her bangs behind her ear. "I'm, sorry about that. I was just so excited I forgot where we were."

Luca chuckled, placing his hand on top of hers. "You can do whatever you want," he said, smiling down at her, "I'm happy with it all. I just know you don't like to be too gushing in public."

Marinette laid her head on his shoulder and Luca picked up his dropped guitar, playing a few mellow notes. "Thanks Luca." She whispered, getting ready to lose herself in his music.

A little ways away Chloe sat unnoticed leaning against a tree, watching them and eating an apple.

"That's weird," She said, "wasn't Marinette in love with Adrikins?" She leaned forward a bit, squinting at the blue haired boy Marinette was with. "He looks familiar." He did. His peculiar blue hair, his painted nails, his pale skin. She was almost positive she had seen him before. But when? She thought back, drawing her brows together. Who was he? She had the vague feeling that it had been a long time ago, back before she had left the school.

She took another bite of the apple. It was no use, she didn't remember. Even if he felt familiar, she would have remembered someone with such a distinct look. It had to be her imagination. But even as she pushed it aside she could feel it starting to gnaw at her.

It was an unusually warm afternoon for the chilly autumn, lazy bees finishing their end of the year duties buzzed here and there around the dull orange bushes. Chloe finished her apple and let her hand fall haplessly to her side, still holding the core. The sound of Luka's playing had spread slowly through the park, chatter dying down as people unconsciously quieted to listen. Strum. Strum. Strum. Its low notes reflected the strange warmth that had filled the afternoon and Chloe closed her eye's to listen.

An icy breeze blew by, a shocking knife in the otherwise perfect afternoon. Chloe opened her eyes just in time to see a fluttering black butterfly dart out of sight behind the fall foliage above her. She narrowed her eyes and stood up, tossing her apple core into a nearby waste bin.

She glanced over at Marinette, but of course she hadn't seen it. Chloe rolled her eye's and turned around, looking for the akuma. It was nowhere to be found. She clenched her jaw and started walking home. Hawkmoth was watching her. If she was right and Marinette _was_ Ladybug, Chloe wasn't going to be the one to betray her to Hawkmoth. Not after she had already chosen the wrong side. But still, she had to find some way to confirm Ladybug's identity. Some way that Hawkmoth wouldn't find out.

Marinette opened her eyes, Luca's playing had turned lighter as the wind picked up. She stretched and saw movement out of the corner of her eye. She looked again and saw a wave of blond hair sway as its owner walked away, the girls jacket a familiar shade of yellow. Marinette tensed, unconsciously balling her fists in her lap.

Luca noticed and stopped playing, looking at her concerned. She wasn't saying anything.

Then, so faintly he barely heard it, he heard her whisper, "Chloe."

His eyebrows pulled together and he placed his hand on her fist, letting out a stream of air when it relaxed beneath his hold.

"Hey," He said, getting her attention, "Let's go."


	8. Chapter 8

Adrien attending school was more or less a formality at this point, but it was a formality that took up what was free in his already full schedule. It was also the only time he was really allowed to hang around his old classmates. He cherished his time there but right now it, and everything, just felt suffocating.

"Hey dude, what's wrong?" Nino asked him as they sat for lunch, "You've been sighing all afternoon. Not to mention the fact that you haven't answered any of my texts the past couple days."

Adrien looked at his friend and smiled weakly. Both boys had changed quite a lot over the years, physically at least. Nino may have grown his hair out and passed 6'3'' but music was still his passion, Alya was still his girlfriend, and Adrien was still his best friend. Adrien may have chiseled out his features and cut his hair a bit shorter but he still tried to look for the best in people, he still took his responsibility's seriously, and he still had trouble opening up to his best friend. But he was learning.

"I'm sorry Nino, I didn't mean to leave you hanging."

"It's fine man, I'm just worried about you. Tell me what's going on."

"I don't wanna bother you-"

Nino grabbed Adriens shoulder and looked him sternly in the face. "Dude. We've been over this. Bother me. I'm your best friend, that's what we do."

Adrien chuckled a bit and leaned into his chair, brushing his hair back while Nino let go and sat across from him.

"Thanks Nino, I needed that."

"You're welcome," Nino said, lifting his glass, "now what's up?"

Adrien sat back forward, clasping his hands together, expression falling. "Kagami broke up with me."

Nino spit out his drink. "Excuse me, what? That makes no sense! You guys have been together for years and never had a problem."

"That's what I thought too." Adrien didn't elaborate any further.

Nino looked at his distressed friend, sipping coolly at his drink. He didn't want to force Adrien to talk about it, but he didn't want to leave him so upset.

"You know what," he said after a minuet of the heavy silence, "we need to get you out."

"Nino, I can't. My schedule-"

"Is filled with pointless things that can be put off," Nino interrupted, "I'm not taking no for an answer dude. You don't have any photoshoots or interviews tomorrow night do you?"

"No, but-"

"Great," Nino said, tapping at his phone, "All set. Tomorrow night we're going bowling. You need a change of pace." His phone dinged. "There, Alya's already said she'll be there. Now I'm just waiting on Marinette. Ugg, but if she asks to bring Luka then we'll have an uneven number. I need a back up. Anyone come to mind?"

Adrien started to shake his head but stopped short, a face flashing through his mind. Nino wouldn't like that solution.

Nino saw his change in countenance, too familiar with his friend not to see the subtle change in Adrien's face.

"Who did you think of?" He asked, adjusting his cap a bit.

"No one," Adrien said quickly, straightening his back and taking a bite of his untouched lunch.

"Dude. I know you. Who did you think of?"

Adrien sighed and swallowed his food quickly, wiping some sauce off of the corners of his mouth. "Well, about a week ago I got a text from Choe saying 'I'm back'-"

"Imma stop you right there." Nino said holding his hand up. "I know you two were good friends when you were kids, but she's _evil_ man. From what I've heard everyone in class got that text but only Lila and Sabrina ran have run into her. And from they've said it doesn't sound like she's changed."

Adrien chewed on the inside of his cheek. The very mention of Lila's involvement brought the story into question. But then, this was Chloe they were talking about. As much as he defended her, he wasn't unaware of how mean she could be. She had made a big mistake all those years ago. He had fought against her as Chat Noir, but he had also seen her self-destruct. Struggle in vain as she confused good and evil. He understood where Nino was coming from, but he still wanted to give Choe a chance.

Nino heard Adrien's silence and sighed. He may not know all that was going through his friends head, but he knew where his heart was. "Fine," he relented, "if Marinette decides to bring Luca then we can invite Chloe, but _you_ have to be the one to invite her."

His phone dinged again and Nino started to massage the ridge of his nose. "Well look at that," he said defeated, "Marinette's bringing Luka."

Adrien smiled, chuckling quietly before turning back to his food. Nino may have been apprehensive, but he was willing. That was enough.

'Perhaps,' Adrien thought as Nino glared at his phone, 'talking to an old friend is exactly what I need right now.'

* * *

**I KNOW THIS IS OUT OF NOWHERE, BUT WE NEED AN EXTRA PERSON FOR BOWLING. WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME?**

Chloe stared at the text for the hundredth time. Was it a joke? No, Adrien didn't think like that. But, but didn't he hate her? She chewed on her thumb nervously. Adrien had a habit of being _too_ nice, what if she was just a third wheel? What if he was only being polite? She typed a response. She deleted it. She typed it out again. Finally she it send, her heart nearly flying out with the text.

**ARE YOU SURE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT NUMBER?**

Ohhhh, why did she ask that of all things? She should have just said yes. Nonono, she should have just said no. Stupid, stupid! That's it! She'll just delete the text before Adrien's seen it. She glanced at the message.

"Ghaa!" she screamed, collapsing into her pillow. It was to late, a little _read_ was right next to the text. A bar popped up showing that Adrien was typing a response.

**DO YOU NOT WANT TO COME CHLOE? I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE NICE TO CATCH UP.**

Chloe pressed her face to her pillows again, screaming into them and kicking her feet. He wanted to catch up. He didn't hate her! But they wouldn't be alone. If Adrien was there, so was that dorky kid Nino. If Nino was there so was his antagonizing girlfriend Alya. If Alya was there then, _so was Marinette_.

Chloe stopped her squirming. She had stopped following her old nemesis around for the past few days, hoping to throw Hawkmoth off her trail. She had spotted the akuma following her on more than one occasion now. If she wanted to confirm Ladybug's identity, then this was the perfect opportunity to do so.

**COUNT ME IN.**


	9. Chapter 9

Chloe paced her bathroom, chewing on her thumb. Her acrylic nails were starting to take a beating from her new habit. Every few paces she stopped and adjusted some aspect of her appearance in the mirror. Putting a stray hair back in place. Readjusting her eyeliner. Refreshing her lip-gloss. Smoothing her jacket.

Finally her phone buzzed.

**HERE**

She flew out of her room, tapping her foot nervously as she waited for the elevator to reach the bottom floor. By the time the doors opened again she was cool and composed. She waltzed through the lobby, smiling sweetly at the doorman as she left.

She didn't even hold her breath when Adrien's extremely recognizable gorilla like bodyguard opened the car door for her. At least she didn't think she did.

"Adriekins," She said sliding in, "It's been so long."

"Hey Chloe."

His hair was shorter, professionally styled. His face had lost its baby fat, leaving behind sleek and angled features. But it was unmistakably Adrien. His softness, his eyes, they were the same. In reality only one thing had really changed, Chloe didn't love him anymore. Not as she had when she was younger.

"Where have you been?" Adrien asked as the car started moving, "you just kind of, disappeared."

"Pa-lease," Chloe said dismissively, "as if you don't know why I left."

"I know _why_ you left Chloe," Adrien said sternly, "I'm not going to pretend I don't, but you never said a word after it was all over. Where did you go? I was worried. You are still my oldest friend you know."

Chloe flinched a bit at the word friend. "Oh. I see. Well then. In that case, sorry."

Adrien tried not to react, he knew how adverse Chloe had become to social niceties, but he couldn't help his eyes from widening a bit. The Chloe he knew never apologized.

"Anyway, I was with my grandmere. The one on my dad's side with the chateau out in the country."

"I see. How is your grandmere? It's been over ten years since I last saw her."

"She's doing okay," Chloe said putting her head on the window, "but her memory is starting to get worse. Anyway, enough with all that boring stuff. Who are we bowling with today?"

Adrien smiled nervously, looking away, confirming Chloe's guess of who would be there. "Nino, Alya, Marinette, and her boyfriend Luca."

Chloe flashed back to the blue haired boy she had seen at the park. So his name was Luka. It wasn't familiar to her, but still. Where had she seen him before?

"Oh," She said shortly, "Well at least it doesn't sound like anyone who can beat _me_."

"You had a professional instructor," Adrien said, "but we're not competing, we're just trying to have fun."

"Why are you all even doing this in the first place," Choe asked, "you all must be _desperate_ to invite someone of _my_ caliber along to such a low class place."

Adrien looked at her, trying to puzzle through her words. Everything, every inflection, seemed the same as when they were younger. But there was a distinct change he couldn't put his finger on. Comments that might have been biting felt energy less, as if there were some sort of self loathing behind each word. That wasn't right, this was Chloe they were talking about. Still, something off gnawed at him as he answered her.

"Nino set it up," he explained, "They're trying to cheer me up since Kagami broke up with me."

Chloe choked. "_Kagami_? That muscle-bound brat? You were dating _her_?"

Adrien narrowed his eyes a bit, but Chloe continued.

"And then she has the audacity to break up with you? Ridiculous. Utterly Ridiculous." Chloe flopped back into her seat, away from the window, and crossed her arms. "You're better off Adrikins, she was way too hard for you."

"She wasn't all bad, I really did love her." Adrien said quietly.

Chloe glanced his way, seeing his downcast look. She sighed, rubbing her temples. Why didn't she ever recognize when she was supposed to empathize with others instead of stating her mind. "Look, Adrikins. The point is that she's incredibly stupid for dumping a guy like you. You'll find someone who suits you better, who's less forceful. What's important right now is for you to let her go."

"Chloe-" Adrien started, sounding tired. Chloe cut him off.

"Adrikins, I know how hard this is for you. I know how scared you are of people leaving you alone. Chances are you'll never find someone as good as _me_, but you will find 'the one' eventually. For now, take a break. I may not like those _friends_ of yours, but I do agree with them on this. Besides, to mope about for a girl like _that_ would be ridiculous." She smiled at him, a softer smile then he had ever seen her give before, "Utterly ridiculous."

Adrien smiled back. Mabey her time at her grandmothers had changed her, at least a little, for the better. "I still don't agree with you about Kagami, I think she was worth dating. But still, thanks."

"Of course," Chloe said flipping her hair back, "I _am_ your oldest friend after all."

When they walked in Nino and Alya had already payed for a lane and the group was getting their bowling shoes on. Luka was kneeling in front of Marinette, tying one of her shoes while she did the other up on the bench. Alya and Nino and Nino were busy messing with each other. Nino saw them first as they walked up to the shoe rental counter.

"She came." He breathed, drawing the couples light flirting to a halt.

Alya glanced over his shoulder. "Doesn't seem like she's changed much." She muttered getting up, unashamedly staring at the two who had just walked in.

Chloe felt her glare. She had expected it. For now, she was prepared to ignore it.

"Shoe size?" The counter attendant asked wearily, it had been a particularly bad day.

"Don't bother," Chloe said, waving him off, "I wouldn't be caught dead in those smelly things. I brought my own." She opened her purse and produced two gleaming white bowling shoes, sparkling gold streaks running down the sides. "They were a gift from daddy," She explained as Adrien grabbed his shoes from the attendant, "The gold streaks have real gold dust inside them."

"That's great Chloe," Adrien said disinterested.

They went to go sit by the others to put their shoes on. They all stared at Chloe, unsure how to react, to treat her. Only Luka continued doing what he was doing, giving the girl a sideways glance before moving on.

He had seen her on the news before, especially after she disappeared. The news had blown the story up, the mayor daughter siding with Hawkmoth. The grainy security film of her leaping up to try and catch the akuma replayed again and again, Ladybugs confirmation of the girls involvement. The way she looked now most people wouldn't notice, but those who knew her would be able to recognize her on sight. He could feel his friends animosity toward her, only Adrien showing sign of softness. Luka sighed and stood up. He wasn't going to take sides, but it was obvious that it was up to him to break the ice.


	10. Chapter 10

Chloe tied her shoes silently, pretending to be unaware of the excruciating silence that had settled over the group once she had joined. She had expected this, she reminded herself, she knew it would happen. A shadow crossed her vision and she looked up. Standing above her was the blue haired Luka, his hair nearly glowing in the dim blue lighting.

"I haven't met you before," he said holding out his hand, "my name's Luka."

Chloe froze.

"It's, nice to meet you?" he said after a short moment of silence.

"Ah, um, yes," Chloe said snapping out of her shock, nearly headbutting him in her attempt to stand up, "I am Chloe Bourgeois! It's nice to meet you too, I guess." She shook his hand stiffly.

Luka chuckled. "You're a strange one Chloe, but that's not a bad thing. Anyway, now that we've introduced ourselves," he spun to face the rest of the group, "let's get started."

Alya silently thanked Luka and stood up as well, clapping her hands to focus everyone's attention on her. "Okay everyone, we're all paired up. Luka and Marinette are team 1. Nino and I are team 2, and Adrien, you and Chloe are team 3. Let's play."

Luka turned out to be a fair player, but bowling evidently wasn't Marinette's thing. She sat down with Luka, embarrassed and disappointed after a very quick gutter ball. Nino and Alya got up to play their turn.

"Cheer up Marinette," Adrien said as she hid her face in her hands, "we're just playing for fun anyway."

"I know," she said as Luka rubbed her back, "but I'm embarrassingly bad at this."

"I don't know what you're so upset about Marinette," Chloe said crossing her legs, "you'd lose even if you weren't so terrible."

Marinette looked up, glaring. "I bet you can't even hold a ball with those nails Chloe, so leave me alone."

"Pa-lease," Chloe said standing up, "don't lump me in with _you_. I can do anything."

It was her and Adrien's turn. She took out a wipe and started cleaning her ball, refusing to touch it until it had been completely sanitized. Evidently she had left her gold ball at home. Then she was ready. She carefully slid her manicured fingers into the holes and took a step, two three. Release. The ball careened across the lane, curving sharply two thirds of the way down and hitting the center pin. Strike.

As she passed Marinette on her way back to her seat she said, "and my manicure is still perfect."

Marinette bristled, barely biting back a response. This wasn't the time or place to start a fight. She and Luka went up to take their turn again, this time Luka helped guide her.

"Release a little sooner," he said, moving her arm, "and keep your arm straight."

Adrien watched on, imagining himself and Kagami in their place. What had gone wrong?

Nino notice his friends downcast look and groped around for a topic to lift Adrien's spirits. "So, uhh, Chloe. I heard you're attending the Agreste College. What's your major."

Chloe blinked, not expecting to be addressed, and put down her drink. "_I'm_ majoring in business and marketing."

"Isn't it a _fine arts_ school Chloe," Alya said playing with her straw, "don't you have to, like, major in something _creative_ as well?"

"Wrong as usual," Chloe said lightly, examining her nails, "the college has two specialties. One is for the people who work, the other is for the people the work for. _I'm_ going to be in the _latter_ category."

At that moment a ruckus started at the front of the store, a customer yelling at the poor counter worker.

"What do you mean you're out of size sevens!" the customer yelled, "I have an extremely important competition tonight and my old shoes fell apart this morning. Probably because of _your_ poor craftsmanship. I demand compensation!"

"I-I don't," the attendant stammered, obviously too worn to think of a coherent answer, "I don't even make the shoe's we sell."

"You choose what you sell," the customer continued, "which is even worse. How dare you choose to sell such poor quality shoes!"

"A-ah, dear customer, the shoe's we sell are top of the line-"

"Don't you lie to me! If that were true mine wouldn't have fallen apart. I've only been using them ten years, they should've had plenty left in them. I'll sue you for fraud if you keep this up."

The attendant blanched, pressing himself as far away from the counter as he possibly could.

Marinette and Luka came up, finishing their turn. "This isn't good." She said.

"I know," the customer said, "just give me your shoes. I remember you mentioning once that you're a size seven too."

"I can't do that," the attendant said, knuckles turning white, "I have a competition as well, my team is counting on me."

"Oh sure. Prioritize yourself over the customer you wronged. Why am I not surprised?"

"Hey," Adrien said coming up behind them, "let's not get too heated. Why don't we all just calm down a bit and breath."

The customer ignored him, continuing on threateningly. "Give me size sevens."

The attendant handed his own shoe over, too worn down to argue. He crouched behind the counter, holding his head, as the unreasonable customer left satisfied.

Chloe came up behind Adrien, surveying the aftermath of the scene. "why'd you let him do that," she asked yawning, "seriously, have some pride."

"Leave him alone Chloe," Marinette said, "not everyone's as forthright as you."

The attendant didn't hear any of them, the hypnotizing voice in his head drowning out everything else.

"Pinman," Hawkmoth said, "your customers look down on you and treat you like trash. It's time to strike them down. I'll make the street's of Paris your alley and the people your pins, in return I only ask that you bring me Ladybug and Chat Noir's miraculous."

A bubbling black aura surrounded him. "Yes Hawkmoth."


	11. Chapter 11

Adrien threw himself on top of Marinette and Chloe as a giant bowling ball grew itself around Pinman, crushing the front desk and bursting a hole in the front wall. Lasers shot out from the three holes in the giant ball, freezing the unprepared people still standing and turning them into bowling pins. The ball then swiveled around, braking through the front wall even further, and rolled out onto the street.

A moment later those who had hidden and dodged the transforming laser stood back up, brushing off the dust left over from the broken wall. Luka stood up from behind a chair and ran over to Marinette as she stood up with Adrien and Chloe.

"Are you okay?" He asked grabbing her hand and rubbing her back as she coughed up the white dust still settling around them.

"Ya, ya," Marinette said a little hoarse, "I'm fine. What about you guys? Adrien? Chloe?"

"I'm fine," Adrien said, "Chloe?"

"Not dead at least, maybe a warning next time you throw me to the ground though."

"Sorry."

Chloe winced, she hadn't meant to make him apologize. "Hey," she said rubbing her arm, "thanks for saving me."

Adrien smiled. "No problem."

"Wait," Marinette said, "what about Alya and Nino?"

Chloe pointed behind them where two giant bowling pins sat in place of their friends. "Guess we just have to wait for the 'hero's' to show up now." She said glancing at Marinette.

"For now we should find a good place to hide," Luka said, "who knows when Pinman will come back."

"Good point," Marinette said, taking charge, "but we should split up, if Pinman is still on this street and see's all of us he'll shoot us down without any trouble. If we're apart he can't get all of us."

"But-" Luka started, but Adrien interrupted.

"I agree, it might be a bit dangerous, but it's the most logical decision. Especially now that we don't have Nino and Alya."

"I guess that sounds good." Chloe relented. This was her chance, if she could just follow Marinette, see her transform. Confirm her theory. Perhaps she could find the bee miraculous too!

Adrien peeked out the hole, confirming it was safe to start running. He waved the group forward and they darted out on the street. Chloe went left, pressing herself to the side of the bowling ally. She saw Luka cross the street to the right, Adrien running straight down the sidewalk, disappearing behind another alleyway.

"Your turn Marinette," Chloe muttered quietly, watching the giant hole in the building.

There. The other girl appeared. The sun was already down and only half of the streetlights were on, a good portion having been presumably crushed by the giant bowling ball rolling around town. Marinette was nothing more than a shadowy silhouette. She dashed across the street, unknowingly passing Chloe who was hidden in the shadows. Chloe followed deftly behind, hiding behind the giant bowling pins scattered across the street.

A low rumbling drew Chloe's attention when she was about halfway across the street. She hid herself again, behind a bowling pin its side, breathing hard. She peeked around it just in time to see the Pinmans red bowling ball pass through the adjoining road. Once it passed she started breathing easy again, turning back to where she had last seen Marinette's shadow.

"Crud." She said, standing up. Marinette was gone. She had to get this right, the only time Hawkmoth was for sure not paying attention to her was when he was controlling an akuma victim. "Okay Choe," she said to herself, "This is fine. It just means that now I have to find Ladybug instead."

She turned and started her way back down the road, heading for the street Pinman had just passed through. Only two street lamps were still on but she stood out a little more than she thought, her bright yellow jacket glowing whenever light hit it.

Luka's eye's widened a bit as he watched the girl pass quickly beneath the street lamp next to the alleyway he was hiding in. Why was she going in the direction of trouble? Has she not seen Pinman pass by a moment ago? He groaned and popped his head out of his hiding place, looking both ways before darting out after her.

He grabbed her arm and pulled her into another alleyway. Chloe shrieked and hit him.

"Ooww." He said rubbing his cheek.

"What was that for?" Chloe asked, only feeling a little remorseful, "we're supposed to be splitting up."

"Not when one of us is heading directly for danger," Luka said leaning against the wall, "what are you thinking? Pinman just passed by that way."

"I forgot that I need something, and it's in that direction." She lied, the words spilling a little too naturally out of her mouth.

"Get it later."

A zipping sound caught their attention just in time to see Ladybug swinging over their heads, out of site. Chloe's eye's narrowed, catching Luka's attention even in the dark. What was she planning?

"It can't wait." Chloe said, making to leave again.

Luka grabbed her wrist, stopping her. "It's dangerous."

Chloe pulled out of his grip, looking him hard in the face. "Look, I'm sorry for hitting you and all, but I can tell what you're thinking," she said crossing her arms defensively, "everyone thinks the same thing. But you're wrong."

"What do you think I'm thinking?" Luka asked, crossing his arms as well.

Chloe glared up at him. "that I'm going to try and join Hawkmoth again."

Luka didn't break eye contact, but he inhaled a little too quickly and Chloe threw him a bitter smile.

"See," She said, voice dripping with some emotion Luka couldn't quite place, "It's not hard to guess. But guess what? You, and every single other person in this city, are wrong. None of you even know me. I'm leaving." She stalked off.

"That's not-" Luka started as Chloe started to turn the corner.

She gave him a lazy glare, not even bothering to pause in movement as she said, "Shove it."

* * *

"You ready Chat Noir?" Ladybug yelled as the giant bowling ball rolled at them.

"I'm feeling a bit pinned down at the moment," Chat answered, his baton digging into the broken road.

"That's the idea kitty! Okay, here he comes!"

Chat Noir was lifted into the air, his baton growing so it towered over the roofs of Paris. The ball crashed into it, shaking the hero off his staff and sending both flying off. Ladybug jumped, catching her partner mid fall, and landing heavily on the roof across the way.

"Well that didn't work." Chat said reorienting himself.

"No kidding kitty, I hadn't noticed."

"No need to get snippy," Chat said, "You've been a little tense this fight mylady, you okay?"

"Sorry, Chat, it's just been a stressful evening."

"Nothing a little luck can't solve."

Ladybug straightened her back, "I hear you loud and clear." She jumped up, throwing her yoyo into the air. "Lucky charm!"

"What is it?" Chat asked peering over shoulder at the object that had dropped into her hand.

"A key."

"That means."

Ladybug smiled. "Time to go get help."


	12. Chapter 12

Chloe had just barely managed to sneak across the street to where she had seen Ladybug disappear after Chat Noir had been knocked out when she saw Marinette running a street over, away from Pinman's rampage.

Where was she going? Chloe sprinted to the adjoining road, barely keeping up. Marinette entered a public storage rental area, lined with lockers. Chloe followed, making her way around the line of lockers opposite of the ones Marinette was going through. She paused at the corner, peeking around with wide eyes as she saw Marinette open one of the lockers and bring out a necklace with a little pink charm hanging off it.

"Okay," she heard Marinette mumble, "it's time to go find Miss Mouse."

The ground started to rumble again and Marinette quickly swung the locker door closed, pressing her self against the wall as the giant bowling ball passed by. Chloe didn't dare come out of hiding, even as she heard what Marinette said next.

"Come on Tikki, not a moment to lose. Spot's on!"

There was a flash of red light and a zipping sound. Ladybug was gone. Chloe sank to the floor, hugging her knee's. Up until this point she had only half believed that it was true, it all seemed too perfect. Now that she had confirmed it she didn't know what to do.

"Why did I even follow her all this time," she mumbled to herself, "what, did I think I'd just go up to her and say 'oh hey Marinette, I figured out you're Ladybug, can you please give me the bee miraculous?' Aggg! I'm so stupid." How was she supposed to redeem herself without the bee miraculous back? She didn't voice the largest issue out loud though, afraid of acknowledging the truth. How could she ever get the bee miraculous back when she didn't deserve it?

A high creaking noise drew her out of her thoughts, metal against metal. She got up and went around the lockers to find the source. She stopped short. The locker Marinette had taken the mouse miraculous out of was hanging slightly open. The tremors from Pinman's bowling ball passing by must've kept it from closing properly.

Chloe walked up to it, intending to close it, when she spotted familiar wood inside. It's strange shape and markings pulled her into the past, her last moments as Queen Bee attempting to control it. The Miracle Box. Blood rushed to her head as pounding guilt and shame flooded her body. Her breath became quick and she sank to her knees, mistakes fully coming back to her. Planting themselves on her shoulders.

"_You are a Bourgeois,_" Her grandmothers words floated through her head, "_you may acknowledge your mistakes, you may learn from them, but you must never regret them._"

Chloe's breathing slowed again. "I had my reasons," she reminded herself, "I was wrong, but I was not without reason." She looked at the Miracle Box again, teeth set and jaw clenched.

Marinette had been careless in her rush, the lid of the box was not closed completely and the drawers were still slid open. Chloe reached out and slid the drawers shut, one by one. A small click sounded after each one was closed. She reached for the top lid and hesitated for a moment.

"This has to be done." She breathed.

Carefully, she lifted the lid open. In the center was yin-yang symbol, one half with the sign of Ladybug and the other with the sign of Chat Noir. The rest of the jewelry was there, much of it looking unused in a long time. There was the bee comb, the bee miraculous. Chloe reached out and grabbed it, cradling the warm metal in her hands.

A bright yellow light shone out from it and a small yellow Kwami with black stripes and dark blue eyes appeared before her.

"At you service my queen," the creature said, bowing formally. It looked up at it's master, freezing uncertainly at the familiar face.

"Hey Pollen," Chloe said, choking back tears and forcing a smile.

Pollen turned away from it's former owner. "My queen," it said in a small voice, "have you come to take me away?"

Chloe put a shaking hand to her mouth, furiously shaking her head no. "No Pollen," She said, tears forming her eyes, "I'm not going to steal you."

Pollen turned back to the girl, interest peaked. "Then why are you here?"

Large, wet tears fell from Chloe's eye's, raking sobs just barely contained in her shaking body. "I-I just wanted to say that, oh Pollen, I'm so, so sorry! I used you. I took you even though I didn't deserve you, I don't deserve you. I made you fight and steal your own friends! I was ridiculous! Utterly, utterly ridiculous." The comb lay in her lap, both hands wiping her eyes in a failing attempt to dry them. "I'm so, so sorry Pollen. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

Pollen flew up to Chloe and touched her head lightly. "You have apologized so wholeheartedly my queen," it said. It flew down in front of her face and helped her wipe a tear away, "look at these pure and pitiful tears, how could I not forgive you."

Chloe covered her eyes with her arms, a sloppy and shaking smile visible beneath them. "Don't forgive me so easily Pollen, I'll never earn you if you do."

"Perhaps being worthy is not as complicated as you think."

Chloe finally dried her reddened eye's, mascara and eyeliner smudged beneath them. She sniffed and gave Pollen a small smile. "That might be true for people like Marinette, Ladybug, who are everything I'm not, everything I want to be, so easily. But for me, becoming a person worthy of your power is next to impossible."

"My queen!" Pollen protested.

Chloe gently picked up the miraculous again, smiling softly through her tearstained face. "Thank you Pollen, for believing in me. I'll make sure that, one day, I'll deserve you again."

Before Pollen could say anything more Chloe placed the miraculous back inside the Miracle Box, making the Kwami disappear. She shut the lid firmly and pulled out a pen and note paper from her purse. She wrote a quick note and shut the locker, making sure it locked.

Distant thuds and the sound of pins being knocked down could be heard across the city.

"Guess they're almost done," She murmured walking in the opposite direction.


	13. Chapter 13

"Everyone got the plan?" Ladybug asked.

Chat Noir and Miss Mouse nodded.

"Great, let's go."

The three split up. Ladybug jumped to one roof, Chat Noir to the roof opposite it. Miss Mouse jumped to the ground, using multiply to shrink down as she split herself apart into many small copies of herself. She positioned herself in the middle of the road, one copy ducking down and the rest standing around her in a triangle formation.

Pinman rolled around the corner. "You think I won't see you just because you're small!" He bellowed, careening down the street. Three lasers shot out of the balls holes once more, hitting the Miss mouse clones but missing the one ducked in the middle. The ball continued on it's path, purposely getting ready to hit the clone's pins.

"Now!" Ladybug yelled from above.

Chat Noir jumped down from his hiding place, Cataclysm already spiraling from his fingertips. He slammed his power down onto the road creating a giant pothole. Pinman's bowling ball hit it, momentum forcing it to fly up in the air. Ladybug jumped it from behind, kicking it hard enough that the ball's spinning slowed as it came back down.

Below, the last copy of Miss Mouse ran forward, throwing a pebble onto a polka dotted mouse trap. Just as it snapped closed she leaped on top of it, the momentum launching her into the air. As the bowling ball dropped down Miss Mouse slipped into one of the holes, Pinman too occupied with reorienting himself to shoot any lasers.

Inside the ball Miss Mouse snapped the shoelace Pinman was using to control the ball and it stopped rolling. A black butterfly fluttered out of it as the giant bowling ball disappeared with a bubbling black aura, leaving behind the bowling attendant cradling the broken shoelace in his hand.

Ladybug caught the akuma and purified it before picking up the mouse trap.

She threw it up into the air shouting "Miraculous Ladybug!"

Thousands of shining Ladybugs flew through the air, fixing everything they flew by before disappearing without a trace. Each giant bowling pin turned back into a human, the hole in the bowling alley's wall closed, the streets were no longer torn up, and the street lights lit the way once again.

The hero's parted way's, Ladybug drawing Miss Mouse into and empty allyway.

"Thank you so much for you help Miss Mouse," Ladybug said as the other hero de-transformed.

Mylene smiled, handing the necklace back to Ladybug. "No problem Ladybug," She said, "I hope I did okay, it's been awhile since you last needed me as Miss Mouse."

"You did perfect," Ladybug said, twirling her yoyo, "good luck with your AV project!"

"Thanks," the girl said, watching as Ladybug swung off.

A way's off Ladybug de-transformed into Marinette, Tikki falling into her purse to rest. Marinette slipped her magical friend a cookie before running back to the locker she kept the Miracle Box in. After she had found the box she had asked the attendant when the rent for the locker was through, finding out that Master Fu had set up an account to pay for the locker every renewal for fifty years. Since then she had been very careful to keep the location a secret, even from Chat Noir.

The locker was firmly shut and Marinette took out her key. Once she opened it all the color drained from her face. On top of the Miracle Box lay a note that had definitely not been there earlier. She quickly entered the combination that unlocked the box, throwing the necklace in it's drawer, closed it all up and slammed the locker shut – gripping the note in her hand.

She read it. She read it again. Over and over again, paper slowly crumpling in her hands.

**DEAR MARINETTE, IF YOU DON'T START BEING MORE DILIGENT, I WON'T BE THE ONLY PERSON WHO KNOW'S THAT YOU'RE LADYBUG. **

The note was unsigned, the handwriting full of flourishes hiding the writers unique habits. After she had memorized the contents Marinette's nerves started to calm.

"Okay Marinette," she said to herself, "what do you need to do?"

"Marinette," Tikki said, peeking out from her purse, "this is really bad. You might have to stop being Ladybug!"

"It's okay Tikki," Marinette said, controlling her breathing, "we'll figure this out. But first need to destroy this paper so no one else can read it."

She tore the paper to bits. Every time she passed a trash can she threw a few pieces of the paper away, the last bit thrown away just before the bowling alley.

In front of the building Adrien, Luka, Alya and Nino stood, waiting for her.

As soon as he saw her Luka rushed up, pulling her into a hug. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine," Marinette said, "thanks for worrying Luka."

Adrien's phone buzzed. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Chloe went home." He said.

"That's weird," Luka said, "I ran into her earlier while hiding, she said she had to go get something. Considering the situation it must've been urgent."

"I wonder what she had to get?" Nino said.

"Knowing her she probably forgot her tiara or something." Alya said, "Anyway, it's a shame but I don't think any of us have time to continue the game. Should we call it a night?"

"Yah," Adrien agreed, "I'm sure my dad sent a car out for me as soon as Ladybug stopped the attack." Sure enough, as he spoke the black armored car rolled up. "See," he said, "see ya."

From there the group split up. Nino and Alya walked back to their dorms and Luka walked Marinette back to the bakery. No one talked much, too worn from the day's events to care for conversation. That was just fine for Marinette as she took the time to think thorough who might know her secret identity.

Luka kissed Marinette goodnight and started his own walk home. He hadn't said it out loud, but his thoughts were still stuck back on Chloe. It was true he didn't really know her, but she had also said that no one in the city did either. But she knew a lot of the people in the city, right? He thought back to Alya's tiara quip. It was true they had known each other when they were younger, but was it fair for Alya to continue talking as if she were sure that Chloe hadn't changed? Then there was Chloe herself. Something about her had just seemed, off. Like there was a missing link between how she had acted while bowling and how she had acted later when he pulled her into the alley.

He shook himself, clearing his head. He was probably reading too deeply into it all. The rest of the way home he spent humming, creating a new tune in his head.

Marinette spent the whole night tossing and turning, trying to figure out who had found out about her identity. She finally got up at dawn, bleary eyed and unprepared for her first day of college.

* * *

**Author's Note : **

**Hey guy's, the past few day's I've been having really bad headaches so I haven't really been able to type. Because of this I won't be updating this weekend, though I should be back by Monday. **

**Thank you all so much for reading! This is my first fan fiction with multiple chapters I've ever written, so it really means a lot. I hope you all enjoy the story going forward!**


	14. Chapter 14

Adrien wasn't getting much sleep. Plagg was getting worried.

"Why not ditch classes today," he offered, flying around Adrien's head, "tour Paris in search of the city's stinkyest cheese instead! We both could use a break."

"I can't Plagg," Adrien said putting the last of his books into his bag, "I promised I'd show Marinette around since it's her first day, remember."

"I know," Plagg sighed, deflated, "but you really need a break soon Adrien, those bags under your eye's just keep drooping lower and lower."

Adrien smiled, pulling his bag over his shoulder. "Thanks for worrying Plagg." He opened his jacket and Plagg flew into it, resting in its inner lining.

When they got to school the found Marinette waiting for them, not looking much better.

"Everything okay Marinette?" Adrien asked coming up to her.

She started, grabbing her chest, before laughing weakly. "You scared me Adrien."

"Sorry," he said, scratching the back of his head, "but I _was_ right in front of you. You seem pretty out of it today."

Marinette sighed, leaning back. "Ya, sorry. I didn't get much sleep last night."

"Nervous for your first day?"

Marinette seemed to freeze for a moment before nodding. "Ya, that's it," she said distantly, as if trying to convince herself, "nervous for today."

Adrien saw that she didn't want to talk about it and pressed no further, instead starting their tour. "The building we're in front of is the main one," he said as they walked to the doors, "most of the classes here are reserved for the art's including fashion, acting, photography, digital mediums, sculpting, and much more. Across the street," he pointed to a similar building, "is the building where most of the practical classes are held including core curriculum, marketing, and business management. Since you're getting a fashion major most of your classes will be in this building though" He opened the doors and waved her in.

"You- you're in the modeling program, right?" Marinette asked, her tired brain grasping for a topic.

"Actually I'm in photography," he said, casually putting his hands in his pockets, "modeling isn't a full degree so much as a sub-division of photography. Actually Julika is doing the same program as me."

"Is she really?" Marinette asked, exited, "She's been so busy recently, and Luka said she was getting into modeling, but I didn't know she was studying here too. She's super suited for this, I'm so happy for her!"

Adrien chuckled, her sparkling eye's lifting his mood a bit. "I did wonder why Luka's didn't apply for the music program here," he said shifting topic a bit, "he's more than good enough to get a scholarship."

From the corner of his eye he saw Marinette smile softly and he smiled too, it wasn't an expression he had ever seen on her face before. "I did ask him about it," she said warmly, "he said that his mother had already taught him everything he needs to know. And ya know, listening to his music I think he's right."

"Then why doesn't he break into the industry?"

Marinette laughed a bit, expression dampening, "I think he's worried about me getting my footing." She said, "I've just been so busy, and he's been so supportive. Honestly I feel like I'm what's holding him back."

Adrien reached out and squeezed her shoulder. "I'm sure that's not true. And hey, if he ever does decide to let his music out into the world have him come to me. I'm more than willing to offer my support."

Marinette smiled up at him, her old feelings nearly returning for a single heartbeat. "Thanks Adrien."

They entered a large atrium with stairs on either side.

"Since fashion is the largest major it has the most facilities," Adrien said pointing across the room, "most of them are in that wing across from us. You will probably have a few classes in the other building on marketing and management, but you probably won't have those classes until later in the semester."

Sitting at one of the table's, staring at a laptop with ear buds in, was a familiar face. "There's Ivan," Marinette said pointing, "I almost didn't recognize him! I haven't seen him since the graduation ceremony."

"Oh, ya," Adrien said, "he and Mylene are both in the tech theater department. Though Ivan does lean a little more into sound and editing while Mylene like the more hands on work."

"Cool," Marinette said, "Should we go say hi?"

Adrien glanced at Ivan again and shook his head. "Not right now I think, it looks like he's working on a project."

Marinette looked again and saw that he was right. She smiled and sighed a bit. "Oh well, there's always later." As they walked over to the Fashion wing a light shadow passed over her features. "Chloe said she's majoring in business and marketing here right?"

"I think so," Adrien said, crinkling his eyebrows a bit trying to remember, "yes, I do think that's what she said. Why do you ask?"

Marinette flushed a bit, almost ashamed of her response. "To be honest I have so much going on right now, and we really don't get along, I kind of don't want to run into her and deal with her antics like I did when we were in school."

"That's fair I guess," Adrien said, "but I don't think you have to worry too much about it right now. I don't know what it is, but something about her has changed."

Marinette looked at him sideways. "Really? She seem like the same brat – I mean person – she always was."

"I don't know Marinette. I know she's had her problems in the past, but there's something different about her now. Her wording, or her intent, or something. Man, I really am not explaining this well."

Marinette laughed, for real this time. "Not at all," She said, "but it's cute so you're fine. I don't know what Kagami was thinking when she dumped you and any girl with half a brain will agree."

Adrien blushed a bit, laughing with her. "Thanks Marinette, I think I needed to hear that. Luka's lucky to have you."

* * *

**Authors Note : **

**Good news, headache is GONE! Bad news, school is not. I will try to keep updating as much as I have been, but this schedule is going to get harder and harder to keep the further into the semester I get. One good thing is that writing this is actually a pretty good stress reliever after class so I WILL be updating pretty often.**

**Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoy this story as it unfolds!**


	15. Chapter 15

Chloe groaned, stretching as the teacher finally wrapped up the class. While she wasn't necessarily good at the mathematical aspects of business, though if she actually studied she could grasp most of the concepts, the practical aspects and ideas behind marketing were almost too easy for her to grasp. She had been shopping her entire life after all. Only one other face in the room was remotely familiar to her, Max, and he was as indifferent to her as she was to him.

Though she had promised Pollen that she would find a way to earn the bee miraculous, she had no idea how to do it. She hadn't even run into Marinette since then, let alone Ladybug. The only people she did seem to run into over and over were Lilia and Sabrina, and even the latter of the two wasn't necessarily a welcome face.

Sabrina didn't _talk_ to her, only seemed nervous every time their paths crossed. Lilia wasn't even in a business program but she made sure to come over and 'visit' Sabrina at every opportunity, always talking about the boutique they were planning to open after graduation. Apparently _she_ was in the Fashion program.

After packing up her stuff she waltzed out of the room and out of the building, just in time to see Marinette exiting the main building with Adrien across the street. She raised an eyebrow, watching as the two got into Adrien's car and drove off.

"Well then," she said pulling out her phone, "I wonder how the other half of this dynamic feels about this." The tone rang only half a second before the other end picked up. "Hello, daddy? Cancel my car for today, I'm going to be walking home."

If she remembered correctly, that gloomy girl Juleka lived on the river somewhere and she was sure that Marinette had mentioned something about her and Luka being siblings. She walked down the avenue, on the walk above the river as opposed to the one down next to it. A familiar pink and black blur flashed by on roller skates, but Chloe was too preoccupied looking for Luka to notice the skater's face.

Alex stopped, wheeling around and staring after the classes old nemesis. She had never really cared much about Chloe, the girls uppity attitude clashed with her own casual address the way the wrong end of two magnets did when pushed together. There was a pressured awareness, but the two never really met. Even so, the way Chloe had treated her friends had built up animosity against herself from Alex.

"What's she doing?" Alex mumbled, the pizza's in her delivery bag forgotten for a moment. She narrowed her eye's and started rolling towards Chloe, ready to confront her.

Before she reached her Chloe stopped suddenly and looked down at the sidewalk below her, recognition sharpening her features. Alex stopped and looked down to see who had Chloe so preoccupied. Her eye's widened.

Wasn't that Marinette's boyfriend? What was his name again? Luka? Why was Chloe looking for him? She pulled out her phone and snapped a picture. She'd send it to Marinette once her deliveries were over.

Chloe sat above where Luka was playing, the stiffness in her shoulders fading as she listened to the music.

"So," Luka said, voice blending with the song, "why are you here?"

Chloe started, surprised to find the boys calm gaze focused up at her. After a moment she settled back and answered. "I was curious."

"About what?"

"The Marinette I knew was hopelessly in love with Adrien."

Below her Luka stiffened a bit. Chloe continued.

"Everyone was of course, but I had some kind of feeling she was actually serious about him. At least when she could actually speak more than three syllables around him. Come to think of it a part of it may have just been infatuation… well, anyway, my point is, how on earth did she end up dating _you_." She caught herself and put a hand up to her mouth. "Oh, ah, no offence."

Luka chuckled. "None taken. I actually knew she was in love with Adrien when I met her."

"You did?"

"Yup. Didn't everyone?"

"Wow. You're pretty calm about all this."

This time Luka outright laughed. "It doesn't matter now after all," he settled into a soft smile, "I'm with her now. That's all that matters to me." His melody became smoother, transitioning the conversation into such a natural pause that at first Chloe hadn't even noticed that he had stopped talking.

As soon as she realized he was done she shook herself and jumped back in with her questions. "Sooo, how _did_ you two end up dating?"

"It was all thanks to you."

"I'm sorry, did you just say it was thanks to _me_?"

Luka nodded. "Something happened to Marinette during the Miracle Queen incident, though I'm not really sure what. But whatever it was, she opened up to me soon after. I don't remember much of the incident, but just before it all she came up to me. I could tell, she was holding back, but after a moment she started crying and then, and then." His eyebrows furrowed, trying hard to call forth the dim memory, "Then I saw a cloud of your bee's flying towards me. I tried to cover her, but I don't remember anything more than that."

Chloe flinched. She didn't remember being akumatized, not really. She did remember fuzzy details that tied into what she was doing before she allowed hawkmoth to akumatize her, and after his darkened butterfly had been purified. But over all she could only really remember the Miracle Box. Hearing about her gleeful conquest brought back flashes of almost-memories, waves of emotion she thought she had left behind when she had first left Paris. Emotions she was scared to touch again.

Luka went on, so wrapped up in his own reflections that he failed to she the shadow darkening Chloe's face. "Something happened during that time, I don't know what exactly, Marinette never talks about it," He sighed and murmured, "never talks about anything." He shook himself. "But whatever happened changed her, helped her grow, and that growth led her to me."

"In that case you shouldn't thank me." Chloe said, voice deep. Luka looked up at her again, surprised at the sudden change. His eye's narrowed as he looked at her, the shadow whose arrival he had missed now clear in his sight. Chloe was not looking him, she wasn't looking at anything, her eyes dull even in the sun. "She fought her own battle and came to her own conclusion that day. It had nothing to do with me."


	16. Chapter 16

Luka plucked haplessly at his guitar strings, thoughtlessly playing the tune he had created for Marinette. Chloe had left not long after he mentioned what had happened to him during her last akumazation, but her change in mood had shaken him. Even more so after her parting words.

"You said that she grew at that time. Considering the fact that she is now able to talk with Adrien alone without tripping over herself your probably right."

He set his jaw. Chole talked as if she knew Marinette better than he did though the two girls had never even been friends. Yet, there was something in her words, a kind of certainty, that threw him off. His music stopped abruptly. Marinette's disappearances, her excuses, did Chloe know about them? Did she know what Marinette was hiding from him? What she was hiding from everyone? And why did she mention Adrien?

A light headache started to tap its way into his skull. There were just too many questions. He should've just been satisfied with knowing that Marinette loved him, but recently he had been wishing for more. He wanted more of her time. More of her confidence. More of her trust. More of her.

He sat back, hair falling back out of his face. Why was he having all these thoughts now? Perhaps Marinette was right that Chloe was trouble.

* * *

Marinette stared hard at the picture Alex had sent her, the phones dull light searing the image into her mind. There was Chloe looking purposefully down at the just visible blue head of hair at the bottom of the photo. Luka. Why were they together?

Her eye's started burning again. It seemed to be happening a lot these days. There was just too much going on. She couldn't think straight.

"Marinette. Marinette!" Tikki said snapping her out of her thoughts.

"Huh? What?" Marinette said rubbing her temples "I'm sorry Tikki, what is it?"

Tikki sighed. "I'm worried about you Marinette. You've been staring at that picture for a full half hour."

"A half hour!" She yelled, leaping up, "I can't waste a half hour! Quickly Tikki, bring me those cloth samples Mr. Agreste gave me. I have to finish this project tonight so I have time to finish my color theory project."

"But don't you have to meet Chat Noir at 5?"

"Aw crud, you're right! What time is it now?"

"4:50…"

Marinette leaped up, leaving her phone on her desk. "I'll be late! Tikki, spots on!"

A moment later Ladybug swung off of the Dupain-Chenge roof, heading for the Eiffel Tower. She got there with two minutes to spare but was still later than her faithful kitty. She sat next to him and sighed.

"There you go again," Chat said looking at her, "you've been sighing a lot more often milady, are you okay?"

"I'm fine Chat. There's just, there's a lot going on."

"Well, okay, if you say so." They lapsed into silence, Chat Noir peering into Ladybug's face as he tried to puzzle what she wanted. Finally he gave up and sat back saying, "you haven't told me why you called me here yet and I'm feline kind of curious."

Ladybug offered a small smile, but it was empty. "Curiosity killed the cat Chat…"

"True, but satisfaction brought it back." He leaned back so he could see her profile a bit better "What's going on bugaboo?"

She spat it out as quickly as possible. "Someone knows my secret identity."

Chat Noirs diamond pupils shrank to slits in his eyes, breath caught in his throat as he processed her words. "Who-how, what does this mean?"

Ladybug bit her lip, her fingers unconsciously rubbing against the towers metal surface. "I don't know Chat. I don't even know who knows! If things go much further I'll be forced to give up my miraculous to somebody else, to stop being Ladybug-"

"No!" Chat Noir shouted, standing up. "I-I'm sorry milady, it's just – you can't stop being Ladybug. You- you just can't. Do you know for sure you're found out?"

Ladybug nodded, looking away. "After we battled Pinman," she said quietly, "I went to go return the mouse miraculous to the Miracle Box. When I got there I found a note on top of it. It mentioned me by name, Chat," She looked up at him, eye's reaching for some spider thread of hope that he might be able to pull her out of her hole, "my real name. And then it said that they knew I was Ladybug. It told me to be more carful of other people might find out."

"And you have no idea who it is?"

"None what so ever." She brought her hands to her face, her back tensing as she attempted to control her hard breathing.

Chat rubbed her back softly, chewing on the inside of his cheek. Kagami had left him, what would he do if he lost Ladybug as well?

"Oh Chat," she said, "what am I going to do?" She brought her hands down again revealing a dark shadow over her face. "There's just so much right now, how can I deal with this too?"

"Go home and rest bugaboo," Chat said, stretching up before offering her a hand as well, "I'll patrol alone tonight."

"But if there's an emergency-" Ladybug protested, letting her partner pull her up.

"Then you'll see it on the news and _then_ you can come help. We'll figure this out, but until then you should lay low. Don't want to let any more cats out of the bag now do we?"

Ladybug shot him a glare. "Not funny right now kitty."

"I do apologize," Chat said bowing, "Now go get some rest."

He watched Ladybug's form disappear into the Parisian landscape, disappearing behind smokestacks and rooftops. Someone had discovered Ladybugs identity. It wasn't him. How long had he yearned for that openness with Ladybug? Even after his feelings for he had switched to Kagami he had still wanted to share secret identities with his partner, if only to prove his trust. She had always refused harshly. Hadn't she? He thought back to whenever they had first become hero's. Back then she had refused mostly on principal come to think of it. When had her secrecy become so desperate?

**_A little cat on a roof, all alone without his lady._**

He shook his head, clearing the ditty from his mind. None of that mattered now. Now he had to be more diligent than ever. It was up to him to help Ladybug. After all, no one else was her partner but him. He was sure of that.


	17. Chapter 17

"Hey Chloe," Lila's syrupy sweet voice said from behind, making Chloe jump.

Chloe turned around, barely managing a quick fake grin. "Hello Lila." She said through gritted teeth. She was two questions away from finishing her statistics homework. Had she not spotted Sabrina as well she wouldn't have bothered to answer at all.

Lila slid into the seat across the table, leaning forward and blinking innocently. "Soo, I've heard you've recently been hanging out with Luka. I think it's great that you're feeling comfortable enough after moving back to start making friends again." She leaned back, tilting her head a bit as if a thought had just occurred to her. "Actually, come to think of it isn't Luka Marinette's _boyfriend_? Does that mean you two have become friends as well?"

"Of course not." Chloe snapped, a rather large bit more sharply than she meant too.

Lila put a hand to her mouth, as if gasping in surprise. "I'm so sorry Chloe! I didn't mean to assume anything. I'm just worried about you as a former classmate. No worries though, I'll be sure not to tell anyone."

"Tell anyone what?"

"That you're seeing Luka behind Marinette's back."

Chloe stood up, slamming her hands down on the table between then. She smiled down at Lila angerly, unconcealed rage simmering around her. "Ah, excuse me?"

"Oh no! Was I wrong? I just thought that since you're not good friends with Marinette that she might not like the fact that you are making friends with Luka. Oh dear, I didn't mean to imply-"

"Imply," Chloe spat interrupting her, "oh no, you didn't mean to _imply_ anything. You just stated it outright. Funny, it almost sounds like you _hope_ I'm making Luka cheat."

"Don't be silly," Lila laughed lightly, resting her chin on her hands while gazing calmly up at her hot-headed opponent, "I'm only trying to help you avoid making enemy's. I know how hard it is for you to make friends after all. Sabrina's told me all about it."

Chloe balled her fists, casting her burning gaze on her old friend. Sabrina shrank back, looking unsure whether to make eye contact or not. Though the girls look had changed drastically over the years, it seemed that her personality was more or less the same. Chloe found that it came as both a relief and shame, the tension in her fists fading. She turned back to Lila.

"Thanks for worrying, but I don't need _your_ help make friends," She grabbed her bag, shoving her homework inside, "The fact that you think I do is ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous."

Lila's eye's narrowed as she watched Chole sashay away, cheerful expression making way for a calculating neutral. She hadn't been expecting Chloe to return, and had been even more surprised when Gabriel Agreste has asked her to keep an eye on the brat.

Something was going one with him, that Mr. Agreste. She had been "spying" for him for years and knew his habits, something was off. He was cracking. When was the last time he had asked her about the people close to Adrien specifically? And now he wanted her to get grasp on that poser Chloe? A menacing smile slipped its way onto her face for a split second. Whatever was going on with him had potential to be great leverage, if she could only figure out what it was.

"Sabrina," she said, practiced sugar coating her words, "would you be a dear and remind me when my next meeting with Mr. Agreste is?"

"Of course Lila," Sabrina said cheerfully, turning her eyes away from where her old friend had disappeared, "let's see, you and a new intern have been called to have lunch at the Agreste estate on Friday to talk about his new project."

Lila's words sharpened involuntarily, "New intern?" She asked. Sabrina looked at her shocked. Lila quickly regrouped. "I mean, I didn't know that Mr. Agreste had hired a new intern. It's such a difficult position to get after all. I thought I was the only one. Do you know who it is? I can't wait to start working with someone, there's just so much to do I couldn't possibly do it all on my own."

"I'm sorry Lila, I don't think they mentioned who the new intern was."

"Oh well," Lila said lightly, standing up, "I guess I'll just have to wait till Friday to meet them."

* * *

Luka rethought his decision to ask Marinette about what was going on. Dark circles dragged under her eyes, her mind continuously drifting off mid-sentence. They were sitting in the park next to Marinette's house, watching the first stars of dusk appear and chatting without meaning. The air was still but cold, fogged breath hanging in front of them with every word spoken. From what he could tell, Marinette needed this moment. Badley.

"I start the internship Friday," She was saying, "officially at least. They already have had me doing a few odd jobs here and there to prepare me for the transition to their work schedule."

"That's great," Luka said putting his arm around her and giving a soft squeeze, "you deserve it. Just don't work yourself too hard, you've been really worn out recently."

"Thanks Luka," she said softly, leaning against him.

They lapsed into a comfortable silence, the street laps flickering on one by one.

Marinette looked up at her blue haired musician, pressing her lips together. She wouldn't have the time to ask him about it again for a while. She took a deep breath and said,

"Alix sent me a text the other day, you and Chloe were hanging out?"

For a moment it felt like Luka stiffened, but it was so quick in passing Marinette was sure she had imagined it. He looked down at her, calm eyes unwavering. "We were, for a bit. Since then she sometimes comes by to listen, I think there's something in my melody she needs to hear."

Marinette continued to look up at him, a wavering smile shaking on her lips. "I see. I wonder why-" Some how she couldn't finish the question.

Luka laughed softly, cupping her chin lightly with his fingers. "Are you jealous?"

Marinette's face burned, cheeks reddened by more than the chill in the air. His long hair lightly tapped her face as she closed her eyes and their lips met, their chilled features warmed by the others heat.

* * *

**Authors Note :**

**Hey y'all! Guess who's laptop started going crazy for no reason last week. (It was mine). I am a bit behind on my writing because of it. Thanks for sticking with me though, I keep saying this but it really means a ton that you all read and enjoy this work. Things are starting to build up to what I think will be some really exciting events and developments. Thank you so much for reading!**


	18. Chapter 18

A rock and a hard place. Not a single person in the room felt differently. The corner of Lila's smile continuously twitched, her teeth set in a badly concealed grimace. Marinette's face was red with the effort to hold back her biting comments, all the harsher for her lack of sleep. Adrien had been unaware that his father had planned the business lunch and was caught unawares when he was seated between the two nemeses'. Gabriel Agreste sat opposing his son at the end of the long table, his food untouched and his focus shaken.

He was running out of time.

"So, father," Adrien said, pushing a piece of broccoli around his plate, "why did you call us all here today."

Gabriel blinked, shaking his head back into grim reality. "I'm altering the image of my fashion line for next spring. You all will be involved in the process of getting it done on time."

"Of course Mr. Agreste," Lila said, "I'm _honored_ you've decided to trust me – us – with this task. I can't wait to get started.""

"Of course Lila," Gabriel said, "you've always helped me after all." He looked to Marinette. "And I expect great things from you as well. My son has told me of your incredible talent, I assume you won't slip up."

"Oh, um, I'll try to meet your expectations Mr. Agreste," Marinette said trying very deliberately not to stutter, "so, what did you change the image of your fashion line to?"

"Yes, about that. Adrien, you will be the main model showing off the line but this time you will also be sharing the spotlight with your cousin Felix."

Adrien lit up a bit, excited at the prospect of seeing his cousin again. "Felix is going to model too? It's been so long since I last saw him!"

"Yes. The concept for my spring designs is Yin and Yang. Originally I was just going to use you, Adrien, but Natalie offered the idea for using Felix as well. Because of this we are behind schedule." He stood up and walked to the door, Natalie following behind. "I expect all of you to do your jobs perfectly for this show. From here on we will be working non stop to get everything done. Excuse me." The door clicked shut behind him.

Lila took a small bite of the food in front of her, dabbing her mouth daintily with her napkin, before skootching her chair back. "Excuse me," she said curtly, no longer bothering to keep up her façade, "I'm going to go find the restroom."

When the door closed behind her and audible stream of air escaped Marinette's lips and she sank back into her chair.

"You okay Marinette?" Adrien asked.

"Hm? Oh, ya, sorry. It's just, no one told me I'd be working with Lila of all people. How did she even get an internship with your dad?"

Adrien shrugged. "He said something about 'useful talent and incredible insight', but for some reason I'm not entirely convinced he was talking about her fashion sense."

Marinette raised her eyebrow questionably.

Adrien took the hint and elaborated. "You remember back in school? Somehow my dad new about everyone I hung out with, and a lot of the things I snuck out to do. I think Lila was spying on me for him, though I can't say for sure."

Marinette leaned forward with a huff. "I wouldn't put it past her, but would your dad really do something like that?"

"I'd like to think not," A shadow crossed Adrien's face, "but with him I really don't know."

Marinette reached over and gave his hand a quick squeeze, a strange static jolting through her hand when her thumb brushed over his ring.

It hadn't been hard for Lila to come up with a story as to why Adrien's gorilla bodyguard should guard outside instead of in the front hall. As soon as he was out of sight she made her way to Gabriel Agreste's office, silencing her footsteps as she approached the door. Agreste was hiding something, if she could just find out what it was – she would be able to use him without having to bow and scrape at his every whim.

"Come Natalie," she heard him say through the door, "we have little time left. We'll create a sentimonster as well as a villain this time. The persons feeling's are no where near as strong as I would like, so we must give them extra power."

Lila's eye's widened and she cracked open the door as quietly as she could. Gabriel and Natalie were disappearing into a hole in the floor, a few triangles on a painting of his departed wife noticeably pushed in. As soon as their heads disappeared the floor closed above them, the triangles sliding back out, unnoticeable on the painting.

Lila walked in boldly. She went to the painting and touched it lightly, running her fingers across the sooth canvas. Her fingers caught, ever so slightly, around the same area's she had seen them pushed in.

"So this is the key." She said to herself. A giggle escaped her lips. Then another. In a moment she was laughing uncontrollably. "AHAHAHAHA! So this, this is the truth! Gabriel is Hawkmoth! HeeHee. All I have to do is figure out which of his accessories grant him power." Her calm demeanor returned and she looked up at the painting, grinning broadly. "I know your weakness Mr. Agreste."

Outside screams could be heard. Both Adrien and Marinette leaped up from their seats.

"I have to, umm, make a phone call," Marinette said quickly, "it's really important and I forgot to do it earlier."

"Okay," Adrien said, "just do it inside, it sound's like something's going on out there. I'm going to go run to the bathroom real quick."

The two split way's, Adrien sprinting to his room and Marinette hiding behind the stairs. A moment later Ladybug and Chat Noir met up on a nearby rooftop, staring down at the sentimonster destroying the city.


	19. Chapter 19

Chloe sat against the Miracle Box locker, tensely listening to the sound of the fight some streets down. She didn't know who had been akumatized this time, only that they were inside a giant sentimonster made out of a Ferris wheel where multiple people were still trapped inside. As soon as she had seen the news alert she had abandoned her homework, running straight for Ladybug's hiding place for the miraculous. She knew it wasn't like Ladybug needed to get a hero every time a villain appeared, but she couldn't help but hope.

Another large crash sounded through the city, further away than the last one had been. A moment later the red blur of magical ladybugs fixing everything that had been destroyed during the battle flew by,

Chloe sighed and stood up, brushing her pants off and stretching before leaving the area. She had known it was going to be a long shot, but a small part of her was still disappointed with the outcome. After all, how was she going to redeem herself in Ladybug's eyes if she didn't get her to pay attention first?

As she walked out she saw Chat Noir leaping across the rooftops above her, Ladybug nowhere in sight. Her eye's followed him, a dangerous thought flashing through her mind.

'What if I knew Chat Noir's identity as well as Ladybugs?'

She shook her head, loose hair whipping her face. She couldn't think like that. It was a similar thought process, a selfish, privileged, righteous thought process, that had lead her to Hawkmoth last time. Thoughts like those wouldn't get her anywhere. She didn't need to know Chat's identity. Not yet.

Her circling thoughts led her to the rivers edge, ears unconsciously reaching for familiar strains of music. The wind was unrelenting near the water, pushing the sounds of the surrounding areas down the pavement and across the river. She caught the music quickly, her steps speeding up as she listened. A second sound mixed in made her stop. Indistinct, but unmistakably human chatter.

A moment later she saw its source, a group of familiar faces surrounded Luka. Roses bright blond hair stood out from the rest, grown out some and tied into two wispy buns atop her head. Where Rose was Julika followed, her hair now streaked purple instead of tipped and braided down her back, topped with a cap. With them were Sabrina and Lilia, all chatting and laughing with Luka as he played.

Chloe's eyebrows unconsciously narrowed, back stiffening. Her stride switched to a strut and she approached the group boldly, refusing to let her nerves win out. Luka spotted her first, followed by Lila. Then all the others.

"Chloe!" Lila exclaimed with hypnotizing cheer, "What a coincidence. I thought you preferred to drive everywhere, it's sooo great to see you out in the fresh air."

"Thanks Lila," Chloe snapped, stopping in front of them, "but I assure you, _your_ concern is completely unnecessary. I _actually_ walk this way quite often, you can ask Luka there."

He nodded his uncomfortable assent as his sisters' friends all turned to confirm the matter with him. "She sometimes stops by to listen."

Rose smiled and stepped forward, sparkling eyes trained on Chloe's face. "Is that true Choe? That's awesome! I really like Luka's music too. I've been trying to get him to apply for the music program with me, but he just won't budge. Oh, hey, I'm Rose by the way, I wasn't sure you recognized me you know, since it's been so long. Why did you move away in the first place again? Oh well, it doesn't matter. I'm so happy your back! Hey! I know, you should come to one of our concerts. Kitty Section is playing down at the-"

"Don't you ever breath?" Chloe interrupted, silencing the ever-flowing stream of words falling from Rose's mouth.

"Now now," Lila said stepping between them, "Don't be like that Chloe, Rose is just exited to see her old _Friend_ again."

"Look," Chloe said, twirling a bit of hair on her finger, "I don't think any of you except _Sabrina_ here can honestly say you thought of me as a friend."

"Aww, that's not true," Lila said pouting, "I really do think of you as a friend."

"I said _Truthfully,_ Miss Ladybug Signal, and I _truthfully_ don't trust a word out of your mouth."

Lila stepped back, fist lightly clenched as if she felt hurt. "I had no idea you thought of me like that Chloe, I thought we were friends."

"Ya," Rose said, "How could you say that?"

"Don't be so rude." Julika mumbled.

Sabrina stood back silently, her eyes wide with indecision and thoughts otherwise unreadable.

Lila perked up, folding her fingers as it seemed an idea crossed her mind. She leaned forward and quickly took hold of Chloe's hand, looking up at her expectantly. "It was fate that brought me here today," She said with unwarranted conviction, "Mr. Agreste called off my internship meeting after todays akuma attack today, otherwise I would not be here. It must be fate so that I can fix whatever went wrong between us as friends."

"Or maybe," Chloe said pulling her hand away, "it's coincidence."

"Choe," Luka spoke up loudly from his seat, breaking the rising tension between the two girls, "Did you need something today? Of are you just out on a walk. We don't want to take up to much of your time."

"There wasn't really anyth-" She trailed off, an idea occurring to her. This could fix her miraculous problem if she did it right. "Actually, there was something."

They all looked at her, eyebrows raised. She sounded unusually tricky. The shift in tone was so drastic that, though she didn't say it out loud, for a moment Julika wondered if the old bully was going to ask them to kill someone.

"As you know I've just moved back to the city and I've yet to, err, reconnect with everyone." She grit her teeth before forcing a smile, she hadn't reconnected because she had been avoiding them all. "To celebrate my Glorious return I thought I'd throw a costume party on Halloween. I _figured_ I should start by inviting you all."

"Oh," Lila said, putting a surprised hand to her mouth, "I thought you were looking for Luka though, not us."

Chloe took a deep breath, refusing to take the bait. "_He's_ dating Marinette, Lila, I'm planning on inviting both of them but I only have _Marinette's_ number. Of course I was looking for him, I have all of yours."

* * *

**Authors Note : I RISE FROM THE DEAD. I do have excuses as to why it's taken me so long to update but none of them are good or original so I'll just let them lie. I will say that this chapter is slightly more relevant than it seems and is only a little bit a product of writer's block. let's just say the snow ball of events is getting a little larger as it all tumbles down. As always, thank you all so much for reading. Please follow future updates, I promise it will be worth it. Hope you enjoy!**


	20. Chapter 20

Marinette stared at her phone, Ayla gaping at it next to her.

"Girl, this has got to be a joke." Ayla said finally, "There's no way Chloe would invite us to one of her parties. And why a Halloween party of all things? This isn't America."

"I know, weird right? But I don't think it's a joke," Marinette said, rolling her chair away from Ayla back towards her computer. She pulled up Chloe's well kept blog. "See, she even posted about it online."

"Well what do you know," Alya said rising her eyebrows, "The princess is pretending she has a soul. You gunna go?"

"I don't know, I mean, a costume party sounds fun, but-"

"But it's being hosted by Chloe." Ayla finished squeezing her friends shoulder. "Trust me, I get it." Her phone buzzed. "Nino just texted. Looks like he and Adrien got the invite as well. Apparently Adrien's determined to go, Nino said he's tagging along to keep him out of trouble."

"You should definitely go then," Marinette said, "I'll even design a couple costume for you and Nino and we can't let those two out in the world unsupervised."

"Really? Thanks. In that case you should come too. The more the merrier you know. Just drag Luka there too."

"I don't know…"

Ayla leaned down and hugged her friend from behind. "Come on girl, forget Chloe. Just think of it as a chance to unwind, let loose. Heaven knows you need it."

Marinette sighed and looked gratefully up at her friend. "You're right, thanks. I'll text Luka now."

* * *

Much to Chloe's surprise, all her old classmates RSVP'd within a few days of her sending out the invites. It had taken very little conniving on her part to convince her father to host the party in his hotels main ballroom, he was s exited to have his daughter back under his roof he had not said no to anything since she moved in.

Now she sat in front of her desk, blank sheet of paper in front of her. Ever since she had left that note on top of the miraculous box Ladybug had been noticeably lying low, only appearing when akumatized victims popped up. Chat Noir had been dealing with all the patrols and minor heroics.

Chloe bit her lip. If Ladybug, and by extension Marinette, didn't see this note then this whole party would be for nothing. She had been thinking of slipping it into the Miracle Box's locker, but if Ladybug continued to be mostly inactive there was not guarantee that she would see the note. She could slip to into Marinette's mail box, but then there was a chance her parents would see it as well. How was she going to do this?

She took a deep breath and put her pen to the paper. She'd figure out the logistics later, for now she just had to write the note.

* * *

Lila twirled a stray hair, smiling down at her phone. She had confirmed Gabriel Agrest's schedule. He had decided to reject Choe's invitation to the Halloween party and was sending Natalie as his representative instead. She couldn't have asked for more.

Ever since she had found out Hawkmoth's identity she had been observing him even more closely, looking for an opportunity to exploit the information. This was her opportunity. As she watched him she became more and more sure of her plan. Gabriel Agreste was breaking. His movements were too eager, to awkward. Desperate. He was getting desperate, and it showed. He had akumatized three people that week alone, suddenly taking quantity over quality.

Lila laughed a little, putting her phone away. His desperation made him weak. Once she found out why she would be able to use him just as he had been using her all these years. The party was the perfect opportunity to find out. Natalie would be alone. The woman wasn't as conniving as her boss, she had too much heart. Finding her weakness out was easy, all you had to do was follower her eyes. They always drifted to her aloof employer. It would be easy to twist her arm, and where Natalie was Gabriel wasn't far behind.

"Sabrina dear," Lila said, turning to her friend who was working on her homework next to her, "why don't I design our costumes for the party."

"That's a great idea Lila!" Sabrina said, face brighting.

"I think so," Lila said, "You like cosplaying superhero's right? Why don't I make you a Ladybug costume, you'll look even better then the real thing."

"Really? Thanks Lila! What will you be?"

Lila smiled and pulled up a picture on her phone. "I thought I'd go as an animal, what do you think of this?" She showed the picture to Sabrina.

"Wow, that'll look so good if you can pull it off."

Lila shot her a venomous glare before pulling her expression back together. "You're right, it'll be a lot of work though. Think you can help me out?"

"Sure, what do you need?"

Lila slid a piece of paper over to her. "Everything on this list." She started shoving things into her bag. "Thanks for the help."

"Wait, Lila, what about the money?"

Lila tossed her bag on her shoulder and turned to leave. "I'm sure you can handle it. Thanks again!"

* * *

Adrien stared pointlessly out his window, looking blankly out at the clouds floating above the Parisian rooftops.

"Adrien. Adrien!" Plagg yelled in his ear, "I'm telling you, ask Marinette to make you a cheese costume. I'm sure you'll look great as a slice of finely aged camembert! The girls will be all over you!"

Adrien sighed and turned to his kwami. "Marinette's a professional, I'm not going to ask her to make me a cheese costume Plagg. Besides, I don't need girls falling all over me right now. I don't think I'm ready for another girl, I'm still not over Kagami."

Plagg sighed. "If only Ladybug were single again, I bet you'd be right back to trying to win her heart."

"Don't be silly, I got over her a long time ago. We're just friends."

Plagg few away from him mumbling, "There's a line I haven't heard in a while."


	21. Chapter 21

Marinette collapsed on her bed tossing her bag next to her, it's contents spilling out on the mattress. It had been a long day. Mr. Agreste had been continuously modifying his designs, changing his mind about which fabrics were the best choice and how intense the lines of color between the stark black and whites should be. Of course the absence of Felix was taking it's toll on the project as well since they couldn't do any in person fittings, greatly limiting Gabriel's visualizations. On top of her internship Marinette also had to deal with her college's mid-terms that were coming up. She stared down haplessly at the pile of partially finished costumes below her and groaned.

"How am I going to get this done." She said.

Tikki flew in front of her face. "You might have to tell your friends that you can't finish it time Marinette, you're too tired to get it all done."

Marinette sat up and looked tiredly at her glowing red friend. "But I promised Tikki, I can't just back out now, and the costumes are nearly done anyway."

"But the party's tomorrow Marinette, and you have so much else to do. You don't have-"

"I know I don't have time!" Marinette snapped. Tikki shrank back and Marinette blinked, surprised at herself, before becoming regretful. "I'm sorry Tikki, I just really don't want to let anyone down."

"I know," Tikki said flying up and touching her partners cheek in comfort, "but you're really taking everything upon yourself, you have been since Master Fu entrusted you with the Miracle Box. It's become a bad habit."

Marinette sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "You're right Tikki. I'm trying to do too much. After the party's over I'll be sure to take a break, or as much of one I'm allowed as Ladybug anyway. But for now let's get to work." As she slid over to her beds ladder she noticed an envelope that had slipped out of her bag with her other stuff. "What's this?"

Tikki shrugged, flying over to look at it as well.

The envelope was white and blank, sealed shut firmly. Marinette's thoughts jumped back to the note on the Miracle Box. No, this couldn't be… she opened the enveloped with shaking fingers. She didn't have time for this as well, but there it was.

_Fortune has two meanings, one I always have, tomorrow I will have the other as well. Find me or I will find you. Your identity is safe, but we must meet._

"It's not signed." Tikki said reading it through.

"Just like the last one," Marinette said, pinching the ridge between her eyes, "I think we're supposed to look for this person at Chloe's party tomorrow. The first sentence must be a hint. I wonder why they're so desperate to protect their identity?"

Tikki bit her lip, looking down. "Marinette? Do you – do you think you'll have to give up being Ladybug."

"I don't know Tikki, I should but-"

"I don't want you to give me up!" Tikki cried out, flying into Marinette's chest for a hug, shining tears falling from her eye's.

Tears started to prick Marinette's eye's as well and she cradled her kwami tenderly. "I don't want to lose you either Tikki, and I'll do everything in my power to make sure that I don't." At the back of her mind another question nagged, how had the letter gotten in her bag without her noticing?

* * *

"These are great Marinette," Alya said hugging her friend, "thanks so much!"

Alya wore a light orange dress with hanging cream sleeves and a dark orange corset, her thick wavy hair piled tastefully on top of her head – ringed by a cream circlet with orange ribbons streaming down her back. Nino made a fine Robin Hood to her Maid Marian, his styled green garb topped with a red feather.

Marinette smiled at her friend, glad she had gotten the costumes done on time. Her eyes were rimmed red with sleeplessness, but they were lit with pride at her accomplishment. For now, at least, the mysterious letter forgotten. Adrien came out next and Marinette's heart beat with pleasure that he pulled her styles off so well.

He flourished his cape, bright crimson flashing out from beneath it's dark exterior. His short blond hair was hidden beneath a period wig tied into a ponytail at the nape of his neck and was topped with a black three-cornered hat decorated with a red plume. His shoes were buckled, his coat elaborate, and in his hand he held a knobbed cane. Somehow the cane felt uncomfortably familiar though he had never held one before. His forehead, eye's, and upper cheekbones were covered by and elaborate black, red, and gold mask.

"I knew it!" Marniette squealed, going over him and making small adjustments to the costume, "You make a perfect Scarlet Pimpernel!"

"Now if only someone would get the reference," Alya said with a laugh, "Honestly you guys, no one's going to know who you are. Especially you and Luka Marinette, I mean what the heck are you even supposed to be?"

Luka chose that moment to enter adorned in blue feathers and a bejeweled tunic, a black mask with a long birds beak stretching out from his nose that was covered in blue rhinestones. Marinette blushed and grabbed her own feathered costume, ready to take her turn to change.

"I'm Papageno!" Luka said lifting his arms to flare the wings attached.

"That literally means nothing to me." Nino said plucking at his fake bow.

"You know, from the Magic Flute?"

They looked at him blankly.

"Mozart?"

"I mean, I recognize Mozart," Nino said, "but nothing else."

Luka turned to Adrien pleadingly. "Come on, you know what I'm talking about."

Adrien gave a small laugh. "My dad doesn't really like opera much."

A few minuets of Luka exasperatingly denouncing their knowledge of music later Marinette came out in her matching costume.

"See!" Luka said gesturing to her, "that's what Marinette is dressed as! Papagena!"

Nino scratched his head. "So this is still kinda over my head."

Luka sighed. "Maybe I just need to make you all watch it."

"I mean that sound more fun then-" Nino started.

"It's in German." Adrien interrupted.

"I'm out." Nino said putting his hands up.

"We're all out," Alya said, "We're going to be late at this rate."

As they piled into the car Adrien turned to Luka. "I'm surprised, I thought you were more into rock, alternative, metal, things like that."

"I am," Luka said, "but I actually really like music in general and really respect the classics of all genre's. Rock's what I'm best at personally though."

They pulled up to hotel and got out. The bright lights made Marinette's head spin, her eyes still reflecting the rhinestone mess of the night before. Adrien caught her shoulder and handed her off to Luka so she could lean on him.

"You alright?" Luka asked.

Marinette nodded, eye's narrowing. She would make it through. The doormen waved them in.


	22. Chapter 22

Le Grand Paris Hotel's main ballroom was perfectly spooky. The lights were orange, green, and purple. Projected ghosts swept across the walls and suspended bats swooped down from the ceiling. The walls were lined with food and chairs, blood red punch and literal finger foods open to all. Smoky mist covered the crowded dancefloor. Mr. Bourgeois had invited all of the guests at his hotel to participate if they so wished and had invited many big names to attend. Only the best for his darling Chloe. Most attendees costumes wore elaborate costumes, more than one dressed as the famous superhero's that haunted the city.

Nino and Alya broke off from the group pretty quickly, rushing the DJ with requests. Adrien, Marinette, and Luka made a B-line for the food, Luka making Marinette sit down at the first empty chair they saw.

"You're exhausted," he said when Marinette tried to protest, "let's at least get some food in you before you try to dance."

Marinette relented and waited for the two boys to return while gazing nervously around the room. Someone in the room, one of those hidden faces, knew she was Ladybug. She shrank back as a drunken Vampire seemed to be heading for her, but he turned at the last minuet to address Mr. Banana a couple feet away instead. She started to breath again and peered through the crowd one more time. What had that note to her said? Something about fortune. A woman dressed as Marie Antoinette glided by. A wealthy aristocrat perhaps? Something to do with money?

A boy dressed as the Little Prince ran by followed by another child in an airplane costume.

The letter had mentioned two kinds of fortune, perhaps they were dressed as a fortunate person then. Between a Ladybug and a Phantom of the Opera was a Leprechaun. Marinette shook her head, surely not.

No one approached her as she sat and Luka and Adrien returned without incident. They sat and ate, the two boys unconsciously pampering their designer. Even with the boys there Marinette still felt antsy, glancing up and around every few seconds.

Luka watched her warily, wondering what was making her so agitated. He tried to keep the conversation light, talking different musicians and songs with Adrien, pointing out clever costumes. Every time he pointed one out Marinette flinched, her costumes blue feathers rustling with motion. Adrien got up and left for the toilet, leaving the two alone.

"Hey, Marinette?" Luka asked after a moment.

"Hm?" Marinette shook herself and looked up at him. "I'm sorry Luka, what is it?"

"What's got your feathers so ruffled?" He asked, gently caressing her face, "you're tiered and jumpy. I want you to relax."

"It's nothing." Marinette said quickly.

Luka's eyes shined with concern through his mask. "That's what you always say. I want you to trust me Marinette, to be able to tell me anything. Why won't you tell me what's wrong?"

Marinette turned away. "I said it's nothing," She snapped a bit more harshly then she meant to. Luka sat back, away from her, and immediately she felt apologetic. "I'm sorry Luka, it's just, now's not the right time. I need you to trust me, can you do that? Please?"

Luka looked down at her, studying her clear bluebell eye's. They shimmered with an anxiety he couldn't quite pinpoint, and were rimmed with a weariness that only reflected part of her schedule. Her hands rested pleadingly on his knee, her lips unreadable. He knew himself, he wouldn't be able to say no. But he wanted too. He wanted to be strong enough to push her for an answer, to ask why she wouldn't trust him the way he trusted her. But he wasn't.

A thought nudged the back of his mind as he took her folded hands. _What if I'm not the one she needs?_ He didn't acknowledge it. He loved her, how could that be wrong? He brought her thin hands to his lips and gently kissed her fingertips.

"I can do anything you need me to." He said.

_I can be whoever you need me to be._

Marinette smiled, relieved that he wasn't going to press any further. "Thank you Luka."

Another person passed by and she jumped. Luka opened his mouth and then closed it again. He had just promised not to pry, to trust her. Now wasn't the time for questions, so long as she was safe. A sigh escaped his lips even as her bit back his words. He looked down at Marinette's plate and found that it was empty. He took it and threw it away with his own before extending his hand out to Marinette, bowing playfully.

"Care to dance?"

Marinette blinked up at him, taking a moment to process the question. She couldn't pull her eyes from his face. She accepted his hand with a giggle and allowed herself to be lead to the dance floor.

Across the room Adrien came out of the bathroom and spotted them heading for the floor.

"Going to join them?" Plagg asked from under Adrien's three-cornered hat.

"Don't be silly Plagg," Adrien said, "I don't want to get in their way right now. It's nice enough already that they let me tag along."

"You're such a wuss."

"Shut up Plagg." Adrien said, sneaking some cheese to his companion in hopes of keeping him quiet.

A slow song started and he saw Natalie, looking as professional as ever, up against one of the walls. He started making his way over to her when a girl in a bright blue and green get up caught her attention. Adrien backed away not wanting to interrupt. He spotted Nino and Alya chatting next to the DJ booth and went over to them.

"Where's the love birds?" Alya asked as he approached.

Adrien gestured in their direction with his cane. "Dancing."

"You got ditched," Nino laughed, "it's okay dude, we'll keep you company."

The song ended and a fast song came on, the dance floor becoming so crowded it was impossible to see across it. A strange looking horse waddled up to them, Kim's face protruding out of the mouth.

"Yo, you all seen Lila around? We're supposed to meet up with her at ten."

"We?" Nino asked.

"Back here." Max's muffled voice said from the horses rear.

"Pull the short end of the stick?" Alya asked raising an eyebrow.

"I don't now how he talked me into it." Max responded, barley audible.

"So have you seen her?" Kim interrupted.

"Sorry man," Adrien said, "I haven't. Alya?"

Alya shook her head.

"Oh well," Kim said, "we'll just have to try other places. Onward!" He galloped off, Max's flailing legs dragging behind.

At that moment Adrien caught a glimpse of Marinette and Luka. He just managed to see Marinette shake Luka off and duck into the crowd when the lights went off.

'What was that?' He thought.


	23. Chapter 23

It was so obvious, why had she not thought about it before? The note was a lot more literal than she had originally thought. The fortune teller had even squeezed Marinette's wrist when she passed by. There was no mistake. Marinette had stiffened.

"Marinette?" Luka asked concerned, lightly grabbing her shoulders.

She shook him off. "Sorry, Luka, I'm, uh, I have to go. Sorry, I'll be right back." She darted away through the crowd, following the colored veils.

The lights shut off. Marinette stopped, the crowd around her pressing in, starting to panic. A second later a spotlight clicked on, revealing Mrs. Bourgeois dressed as a witch and swinging from the ceiling. While everyone turned their eyes upwards to watch a hand darted out from the crowd, firmly circling Marinette's wrist and pulling her through the crowd. In a moment Marinette found herself at the edge of the crowd and headed into a hidden alcove, concealed behind a heavy curtain.

Marinette wrenched her wrist free as the person turned to look at her. It was obviously a woman, covered in colorful but earthy tones. Threads of gold were visible even in the dim light, entwined throughout the outfit. A violet veil covered the entirety of her face, making it impossible to even see the color of her eyes.

"Are you the one who left me the note?" Marinette asked, a chill running down her spine.

The fortune teller nodded.

"You should know that you're wrong," Marinette said defensively, "I'm not Ladybug."

"I saw you." A voice said. It sounded familiar and yet – Marinette couldn't place it.

Marinette paled. "When?" She managed to ask, breath gone.

"Miss Mouse."

"So when you left the first note then."

The figure nodded.

"What do you want?" Marinette asked, "I should just erase your memory right now."

"You don't have that power." The fortune teller said firmly. Too firmly. How was she so sure of Marinette's bluff?

"I do." Marinette insisted.

"You don't. Trust me I know more than you care to think. I even know about kwami's."

A burst of chilling, fear filled energy coursed through Marinette's veins and she lurched forward, pushing the fortune teller against a wall and gripping her wrist. With her free hand she grabbed the fortune tellers collar. "How do you know all this?" Marinette asked hoarsely, throat closing as the words came out.

The fortune teller barked out a short laugh. "Why, Marinette," She said, slowly lifting the veil with her free hand, "you've gotten violent."

Marinette let go and stepped back, pupils shrinking as her eyes widened. "Chloe."

* * *

"Hello Natalie," Lila said, voice dripping with sour honey as she sidled up next to her employers right hand.

Natalie did not even turn her head to answer, barley glancing to the side before averting her attention to the show Mr. and Mrs. Bourgeois were putting on above them. "Lila."

"Oh, don't be like that Natalie, we are co-workers after all. I have something very important I'd like to talk to you about. I came across some very interesting information the other day see, and I'd like to share it with you."

Natalie sighed and turned towards Lila, read to dismiss the girl. A spot light ran over Lila just as she did and, though it vanished a moment later, Natalie froze. Lila smiled, eye's narrowing.

"I thought my costume might catch your eye," she said, twirling to show off her costumes peacock feathers, "was I right, Mayura?"

Natalie glanced around nervously before grabbing her arm and pulling her out of the ball room. "Mr. Agreste has reserved a hotel room for me incase there are any – incidents. We'll talk there."

Lila's face darkened, her smile widening. It was just as she had suspected, everything was going according to plan. Up in the hotel room Lila sat on the bed, crossing her legs as her peacock costume flared out dramatically.

"Peacocks are such regal creatures, don't you think?"

"Don't patronize me," Natalie said, standing in front of her, "What do you know?"

"Hawkmoth is one Gabriel Agreste. The increasingly infamous Mayura is you, Natalie. You can try and deny it all you want, but I know what I know."

Natalie's eyebrows narrowed, a small wrinkle appearing between them. "What do you want."

Lila's expression flattened and she started inspecting her nails, bored. "I want in."

"In? How?" Natalie asked.

Lila rolled her eye's and uncrossed her legs, getting up from the edge of the bed. "You guy's are after Ladybug and Chat Noirs miraculous. I assume that's for a reason. I want you to give me power, a place in this scheme of yours."

"No, Mr. Agreste will never agree to such-"

"I suppose I could back off," Lia said, twirling her hair, "I can think of a lot of people who would pay good money to know who Hawkmoth is after all."

"No!" Natalie said a little too quickly. She caught herself and slowed down. "No, just, let me talk to Mr. Agreste first."

"You don't have the time," Lila said, voice flat and eyes narrowed, "You make the decision, now."

"I-I can't, Mr. Agreste-"

"Doesn't even have to know I found out. Just drop him the suggestion to, well, reward me for my valiant effort. Perhaps convince him to give me a miraculous when you get your hands on one."

"He won't give you Ladybugs-"

"Oh," Lila said lightly, stepping towards Natalie so that the woman was forced to sit on the bed. Lila towered over her, a twisted smile backed by lifeless eye's, "it's doesn't have to be Ladybug's, something less consequential than that. Like, say, the peacock? I'm sure he'll have no use for it once he get's what he wants after all."

"I-I-I can't."

"Why not?" Lila put her fingers to her lips, lightly tapping them as she watched the woman before her panic, "It's not hard on your part, just give your miraculous to me when Gabriel get what he wants. After all, you don't want to do anything that might lead to his harm, would you?"

Natalie searched Lila's face for a sign, any sign, of weakness. A point of reason, fear, insecurity. Anything she might be able to play off of. Finally she dropped her head. "Fine." He voice was low, "but you can't bring Gabriel into any of this, he doesn't need that right now."

Lila choked back a laugh as she watched Natalie's serious expression become resigned. "Deal."


	24. Chapter 24

Chloe sat down, rubbing the wrist Marinette had just freed. "You make it sound like a bad thing."

Marinette couldn't find the words, staring at Chloe open mouthed.

"I suppose," Chloe continued, "From your point of view it is. Or it would have been if I were the same as how I was when I was younger. Papagena's a strange costume choice by the way, must have been Luka's idea."

"What do you want?" Marinette finally managed to spit out.

Chloe's eyelids relaxed, her eyebrows slightly raised. "I knew you wouldn't trust me Marinette, you never have. I _want_ a lot of things, but I'm not going to ask any of them of _you_. For now let's start with this, I'm never going to let Hawkmoth use me again."

"You can't know that Chloe, no one can. And now, thanks to you, I'm going to have to give up my miraculous-"

"Marinette! No!" Tikki's small voice piped up as she flew out from under Marinette's feathered hat.

"Tikki!" Marinette stuttered reaching out at her small friend as if she could pull her back into hiding. "What are you doing?"

"It doesn't matter now," Tikki said, "she already knows."

"So your name is Tikki," Chloe said walking up to the creature, "you don't have to worry about Marinette giving you up. That would be ridiculous, _utterly_ ridiculous."

"What are you talking about Chloe," Marinette asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Exactly what it sounds like, _dupain-cheng_," Chloe said, pushing Marinette into a plush chair squeezed into the alcove, "you cannot give up being Ladybug. Who are you going to push it on to next? Alya? The girl who's always surrounded by a news crew? I'm sure that will last. A stranger? I mean, do you even have the _confidence_ to choose one without regretting it? The only logical choice is _me_, since I know everything anyway, but I don't _want_ the Ladybug Miraculous and you would never give it to me. No, the only option is for you to keep it."

"She's right Marinette," Tikki urged, "It's not time for you to give me up yet."

"Why did you reveal that you know?" Marinette asked, rubbing her temples, a small headache traveling to the front of her head.

"Because I want you to trust me." Chloe's voice was softer than normal, strangely childlike. Tikki met her eyes and smiled encouragingly. She took a shaky breath, "I want you to use me."

Marinette looked hard at Chloe and stood up. "No." She waved Tikki back into her hat, "No, I won't use you. You betrayed everyone Chloe, how can I trust you after what happened?"

Chloe sighed, stung but unsurprised. She had expected something like this after all. What she hadn't expected was for Marinette to look so, well, tired. The girl was slowly wearing herself down, unable to see just how much she had changed.

"You should tell Chant Noir about me as well," Chloe said before Marinette could leave, "put at least a little of your trust in someone besides yourself."

"I have plenty of trust." Marinette snapped, ducking out of the covered alcove.

"But you don't give it to anyone." Chloe whispered behind her, once again pulling the veil over her face. She took a deep breath, shoulders lighter. She had done it. She had let Marinette, let Ladybug, know the truth. From the looks of it Marinette needed an ally, even an unwelcome one. With this she was one step closer to becoming worthy of the bee miraculous. She stepped out into the crowded ball room again. Somewhere in this room Hawkmoth was looking for a victim. Chloe smiled to herself, it would not be caused by her, none of them would be from this moment on. She was better than her past.

Her parents finished their gimmick filled show and Chloe moved her way to the dance floor, hoping to dance her leftover nerves off. Who was Chat Noir anyway? Was he here? She scanned he room through her veil, turning with the music. Marinette was making her way out of the room followed by her feathery companion. Choe narrowed her eyes, was it Luka? He was nice enough, trustworthy enough, that she could see him being deemed worthy. She shook her head, twisting back around. Chat Noir was a famous blond, she couldn't imagine him with Luka's electric blue hair. Not to mention the cat's cheesy personality.

Her moves became sharper, more fluid, and the people around her started to back off. Soon she was in the middle of a circle, drawing the surrounding crowd's attention. A girl dressed as a mime stepped into the circle, challenging her. Chloe smiled beneath her veil. She had been taking dance lessons for years, she had this.

The pumping music guided each movement, her arms and hips building momentum. Her fortune teller garb flared out dramatically with each spin. Years of practice pulled at her joints, making them incredibly flexible.

'That's right,' she thought, relishing their gazes, 'Look at me. I am talented.'

Across from her the mime tried to keep up, but the eyes of the crowd slowed her movements. As the crowd watched her form became jerky and stiff, no longer in time to the pounding beat. The song ended and she fell, unable to keep her balance for her final pose. Around her the circle laughed a moment before moving on.

Chloe walked up to her and held out a hand. "Not everyone is as built for crowds as _me_ you know, but your movements weren't bad. Mabey _someday_ you'll catch up to me."

The girl batted away her hand, refusing help up, and ran away. Her face was bright red and embarrassed tears fell down her face. As she disappeared into the crowd Chloe spotted a shadowy butterfly following after.

"No, wait!" Chloe said trying to go after the girl, but it was too late and the crowd had already closed in blocking the path. "And right after I promised myself that I wouldn't cause any more akumaziations." She mumbled, biting her lip.

She pulled out her phone and darted through the crowd, flipping through her contacts. She slammed into someone and apologized quickly, deciding to stop while she looked at her phone instead. There was Marinette's name. She took a deep breath. Here's hoping they could work together from now on.


	25. Chapter 25

**A MIME'S BEEN AKUMATIZED**

Marinette stared at Chloe's text, feeling the circles under her eyes deepen. What was Chole's game here? She said all she wanted was Marinette's trust, that she didn't want Ladybug's miraculous, but that was too simple. Why would she want trust of all things? Before she had only ever wanted power. A scream sounded from the ballroom and she glanced up. A man burst from the room doing a terrible breakdance and glowing pink.

"I can't stop dancing!" He cried. Behind him more dancers appeared.

Luka started to go up to him but one of the other dancers stopped him yelling, "No! If you touch one of us you'll also be forced to dance!"

He backed off and went back to Marinette. She stood up, eyes narrowing at the situation. Why would a mime force people to dance? Luka grabbed her hand.

"Let's go hide until Ladybug and Chat Noir get here." He said, starting to pull her.

Marinette shook him off. "I'm sorry Luka, but there's something I have to do."

"What?" Luka asked, waving his hands around at the people quickly crowding the area, "dance till you die? Because that's what will happen if you're touched by one of these people. Let's get out of here."

Marinette stepped back. "I'm sorry Luka, I can't."

"What do you mean you can't? What's going on Marinette? Why do you always do this?"

"What do you mean, I always do this?"

"You always, just, run off. No explanation, no nothing. And now you want to separate in the middle of a crisis? What's going on." He took off his bird mask, hoping his sincerity would shine through.

Marinette stared at him helplessly, hands open in an empty gesture. "Luka, I can't - Look, I'm sorry, I have to go." She turned and jogged off.

Luka tried going after her but the growing crowd blocked him off. He wouldn't be able to get through without being affected by the dance magic. He turned and ran out of the building, eyes burning and stomach sick. He trusted her, he loved her, so why did he feel so awful after their conversations recently? Why couldn't she trust him as well?

* * *

It wasn't hard for Adrien to slip away in the crowd, his mask kept people from recognizing him and asking for autographs. If it hadn't been so crowded he might have actually found the party relaxing. You know, aside from the colorful mime dancing around the building, forcing anyone she touched to dance without a break.

He ran out into the lobby just in time to see the dancing crowd split apart Marinette and Luka. He didn't have time to stop and make sure they were okay, if he stopped moving at all one of the dancing people might touch him. He dodged his way into the toilets hid in a stall.

Plagg flew out of his hat saying, "Seriously, that party sucked. Not a single cheese platter anywhere."

"I'll feed you when we get home," Adrien said, "for now we have to stop this masquerade, CLAWS OUT!"

Chat Noir burst out of the bathroom and extended his baton so he could jump over the guests.

"Did anyone see where," He stopped for a second, "crud, I didn't get her name. Did anyone see where the colorful mime went?"

A few people in the crowd disco pointed at the elevator.

"Purrfect," He said, "Thanks!"

He went into the stair well and stood at the center of the empty, spiraling staircase where he could nearly see up to the roof. He extended his baton slowly, listening at each floor for sound of panic. He was nearly at the top when he heard yelling. He burst through the door finding himself in the hall leading to the rooms of the extremely rich and famous. A dancing butler was quickly sashaying down the hallway, smiling desperately when he saw Chat Noir.

"Thank goodness you're here!" he cried, "A villain calling herself Mimerella has ransacked the rooms, looking for Nadia from the news station. She wants to make sure everyone see's her dance. She want's to be a better dancer than everyone!"

"Gottcha. Sounds like I don't have time to boogie with you, where is she now?"

"T-the roof I think, she's going to check and see if the news crew is down below covering the incident."

Chat zoomed past him, hopping in the opposite elevator. On the roof Mimerella stood with her back to the door, peering down at the crowds below. She turned as the door slammed open, smiling broadly.

"Well if it isn't Chat Noir," She said, glowing a faint pink, "Normally it's Cinderella who loses something at the ball, but I think you're about to part with your ring."

"Please," Chat said, twirling his baton, "it's not even made of glass."

A light clunk sounded at something hit a pole followed by a whirring sound. Ladybug leaped up onto the roof so Mimeralla was between her and Chat Noir, releasing her yoyo from the poll as it snapped back into her hand.

"You sure are colorful for a mime," Ladybug said, spinning her yoyo next to her hip.

"I'm Mimerella," the villain shrieked, stomping her foot.

"She talks a lot for a mime too," Chat said, "So what's the plan?"

"Stop ignoring me," Mimerella yelled, "everyone has to watch me dance. Including you!"

She raced forward, swiping at Chat. He leaped back. Ladybug ran up behind her, throwing out her yoyo so it wrapped around Mimerella."

"Got you." She said, pulling the string tight.

Mimerella started laughing. "big mistake Ladybug." Her pink glow shifted onto the yoyo, traveling down it to Ladybug. It reached the hero's fingers, quickly covering her. All at once Ladybug started jerking around, pulling the yoyo with her.

Mimerella started laughing again as the string around her loosened. Chat took the moment to activate his power, running at the colorful villain and leaping up, snatching off her hat. It disintegrated before the pink glow could travel to Chat, a black butterfly flying away from it.

Ladybug spun around jerkily, yoyo flying back to her. She fell into the splits, launching her weapon into the air, catching the akuma. It flew away a cleansed white. She quickly threw the yoyo back up shouting, "Miraculous Ladybug!" Millions of sparkling ladybugs flew threw the air, fixing any damage the villain had caused and stopping the terrible breakdancing that had broken out in the streets.

Chat ran over, helping Ladybug up. "Funny, I always thought milady was a better dancer than that."

"It was a curse Chat," Ladybug snapped, shaking herself, "What'd you expect. How'd you know where the akuma was anyway?"

Chat shrugged, a little perturbed by his partners harsh tone. "It was the only piece of her costume that seemed removable."

* * *

**Authors Note : Hey ya'll. Guess who's laptop finally died right before Covid-19 hit so she didn't have anything to write on! It's been awhile so I apologize if the tone of this chapter is slightly different than the ones before it. So, this'll be my last chapter for a small while. I'm going to finish the entire story and then upload it chapter by chapter each day so I don't leave ya'll waiting for month on end because of a technology slip up like what just happened. The story is slowly building to the climax and I want it to be worth your guys's time to read so I'm going to start writing for all it's worth. Thank's so much for reading and keep an eye for when I start uploading again! 3**


	26. Chapter 26

"Everything's so strange," Ladybug said the next day. She and Chat had met up for patrol but she had spent the whole time pacing back and forth. A good nights sleep had lent her enough presence of mind to fully comprehend the fight from the night before and now Chat Noir was getting all of it. "It was too easy. I didn't even have to use my lucky charm!"

"I mean, it is weird bugaboo, but you might be over thinking it a little. Maybe we just caught her at the right moment."

"Chat," Ladybug said, throwing her arms out in exasperation, "we've been fighting Hawkmoth and Mayura for like six or seven years now! This just doesn't read like normal akuma attacks! He has to be planning something big."

"Or maybe he's getting desperate," Chat said walking up to her and taking her hands, stopping her pacing, "maybe he wants the miraculous for something other than power and he's running out of time. Either way there's no use stressing about it. What's with you recently anyways? It's like your claws are out all the time."

Ladybug sighed, sitting down so her feet were swinging off the roof they had chosen to rest on. "Everything's going wrong Chat. My boyfriend's upset at me, and he never gets upset. I might have to stop being Ladybug soon, someone found out my identity 100%."

"Hold it," Chat said stopping her, "that's something you lead with. Someone knows your identity? It wasn't just a prank or threat then?"

Ladybug hid her face in her hands, nodding. He sat down next to her, groaning.

"You can't stop being Ladybug," he said after a minuet, "you just can't. I don't think I can live without you bugaboo. I can't lose so many people precious to me at once."

Ladybug looked up at him with a weak smile. "Thanks Chat. I don't want to stop being Ladybug either. But your input is only a small fraction of how big a decision this is. There's so much more to this."

They lapsed into a reflective silence, decision hanging over them but comfortable in the lack of words exchanged.

"Who found out?" Chat asked after a bit, nearly choking over his own words.

"I can't tell you," She looked at him, brow drawn, "you know that."

"You're hurting Ladybug, I want to help."

"You are helping," she stood up, "you're picking up my slack while I figure things out. That's more than – it's helpful."

Chat stood as well, following her lead. "Is everything okay with you and your boyfriend? You don't sound happy about anything right now, you're acting like he's a burden."

"He's not." She said quickly, "let's not talk about this. Break's over, let's get going."

* * *

Marinette hadn't responded to her text. Of course Chloe knew that Ladybug and Chat Noir had taken down the Dancing Mime, or whatever the villain's name was, but there had been no acknowledgment from Ladybug to her at all. Only the little "read" check next to the text. Chole sighed, tucking her phone back into her purse. She couldn't expect everything to change after just one night after all.

She had long since finished her homework for the weekend. She had been watching her mother and father manage their businesses and campaigns for as long as she could remember. Management and business was in her blood. Instead she was taking a slow walk down by the river, rolling her eyes at the cheap knickknacks being sold by the Riverwalk.

She broke away from the crowd, making her way to the less crowded areas further down. The chilly fall air had broken away for a single day, the old stone streets radiating heat. The air by the river was cool, reminding the few people who decided to stand right next to it that France was well into autumn. Faint music caught her ear and Chloe smiled. Luka. As she neared her smile faltered. The sound was low and wavering, incredibly unlike his usual mellow tunes.

He sat on the ground by the river, tearing at the strings on his guitar. His blue hair hung down, covering his face so his expression was unreadable. Chole put her hands on her hips, looking down at him.

"Ridiculous. Utterly and inexcusably Ridiculous."

He looked up at her, stopping mid-chord. Some of the people who had gathered near by to listen jumped at the sudden silence, grumbling and walking off.

"Your music is terrible," She said, clicking her heel against the stone, "how you dare play _that_ out in public is beyond _me_. What on earth has made your sound go so haywire?"

"Is it that bad?" Luka asked, wincing.

"Duh. I wouldn't have said anything otherwise. All I hear is grating frustration. It's ruining my walk."

He sighed, leaning back, and put his guitar down. "I feel like crap."

Chloe raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms, daring him to elaborate.

"I, I fought with Marinette. I try to always be there for her, but right now, it's just hard. She won't talk to me about anything, won't let me help her with anything. I feel so usless, like she doesn't trust me. She keeps on telling me to wait for her, and I'm trying, but it's just so hard."

"Ha," Chloe scoffed, rolling her eyes and sitting next to him, "why even bother with all that?"

He looked at her, fingers curling inwards on the pavement.

"I mean," Chloe continued, "she obviously has her own thing going on and it' obviously important to her. Why not just let her do her and start letting you do you. Honestly, it's one thing to put your partner first but it's a whole other thing when you start ignoring yourself completely. While she's figuring her stuff out why don't you just figure out your own stuff as well. I mean, waiting on another person to get their life together before you start on your is simply the most stupid thing I've heard in a long time."

"That's, actually not a bad idea. I guess I can't keep on focusing my energy on her when she obviously doesn't want me to, huh? The answer's so obvious." He threw his head back, watching a plane trail across the sky.

"Please," Chloe said standing back up and readjusting her bag, "it's not that it's obvious Luka, lots of people make the same mistake. _I'm_ just smart."

* * *

**AUTHORS NOTE: Hey ya'll. It is taking everything in me not to start uploading chapters everyday again, but I really want the whole story to be finished before I start uploading chapters again. This is a transition chapter to the rest of the story so I figured I'd at least upload this one. No worries though, I'm nearing the end of the story and there's a whole lot coming. (for reference there's not a single chapter below 1000 words that I've written since my last update and there's over ten chapters I've added to my document). Anyway, I really am nearly done typing it up and will start uploading regularly again as soon as I am. This has been further proof I can't keep promises to myself. Thank you so much for reading and look out for the next upload!**


	27. Chapter 27

Marinette and Lila stood at the train station uncomfortably holding a welcome sign between them. Felix was due to arrive any minute, and the day had been hectic enough even without having to pick him up. A silence stretched between the two, hostile and icy.

At long last the train arrived and what might have been a photocopy of Adrien stepped off. His hair was longer, combed and styled more formally than Adrien kept his, and his face and body was just a little more narrow. He walked over to the two interns, smirking.

"Pleased to meet you," Lila said, dropping the sign so it swung into Marinette's leg and holding out a hand, "I'm Lila and she's Marinette, Mr. Agreste sent us to pick you up."

He took her hand and shook it firmly. "Felix. I have to say, I wasn't expecting my uncle to ask me to model for him."

"I heard it was Adrien's idea," Marinette said, limping a little as she tucked the hard sign under her arm, "I think it's his way of saying he missed you."

"Lucky for him I missed him too," he said, "Shall we go then?"

As they crowded into the car Felix pulled out his phone and started flipping through the news. Marinette and Lila sat on either side of him, pressed up against the windows trying not to crowd the car.

"Hm," Felix said, "This is interesting, have you heard the news about Chat Noir?"

Lila snorted. "What about him? He save another cat or something?"

Marinette grit her teeth, pressing her lips together.

Felix laughed. "No. There's an article here saying he was at that priss Chloe's Halloween party."

"Of course he was," Marinette said, "there was an akuma attack."

"No, I mean he was an attendee," He held up his phone, "see, there's a video attached."

Lila raised an eyebrow in interest, Marinette leaned forward to see better. It was shaky phone video taken in a bathroom stall.

Marinette held her breath as Plagg's distinct voice said "Not a single cheese platter anywhere." It presumably came from the next stall over where the poster was filming. Loud noise banged from somewhere outside the restroom and the phone tilted downwards to see under the stall. A pair of buckled shoes a few centuries out of style flashed green, replaced by Chat Noir's signature black boots. There was a banging as the hero burst out of the stall and a lot of shaking as the camera holder opened his stall as well. It swung open just in time to reveal Chat Noir leaping out the bathroom door above a mob of dancing people before cutting off.

"Whoa," Lila said, "does it say who he is?"

Felix shrugged. "Apparently the person who posted it only saw a snippet of red before Chat Noir entered the next stall. His identity's still a secret."

Marinette let out a small puff of air, relieved. She was the only one whose identity had been compromised. She narrowed her eyes. Chat had to be more careful, he had almost let his identity become known to the public!

* * *

Chloe checked her phone again. No new messages. She flopped onto her bed, staring up at the akuma trying to hide behind her lamp. Hawkmoth was watching her again, waiting for her to slip up and ruin someone's life. He had been quiet since Halloween. It felt like something was going on, something she couldn't put her finger on. It bugged her.

Her phone buzzed and she snatched it back up only to see that it was just a news alert. She sighed, about to put it back down, when the title caught her interest.

**Chat Noir's Party Transformation**

What the heck? She clicked on the notification, the news article popping up. The video was bad quality, but it clearly showed buckled shoes and a strange voice. She knuckles turned white as she watched. The video was legit. The weird voice must have been Chat Noir's kwami. He had been at her Halloween party.

She took a deep breath, tucking her phone away. Hundreds of people had been there and the guest list hadn't exactly been exclusive. But there were limits to who had attended. Her old classmates had all been there. There had been at least fifty celebrities in different areas. Anyone staying at the hotel at the time had also been invited. Then there were her parent's personal friends, their friends, and their families. If she wanted to she could get a list of everyone who could have possible attended that night.

She bit her lip, glancing back at the akuma following her, and getting up. If she let out any inkling that she had the possibility of discovering Chat Noirs identity Hawkmoth would try and use it to his advantage.

She went out to her balcony, shivering a little. The day long heat wave had not lasted. Many of the Parisian roofs below were still sparkling with front though it was well past noon. A breeze blew by and she pulled her yellow sweater closer around her.

If only Marinette would react. Respond. Something! Chloe was ready and willing to help, she just needed a chance. She shivered again and got out her phone, dialing her butler.

"Send up a hot chocolate," she said, remembering herself a moment later and adding a "please." A few minutes later she sat, sipping her beverage.

It was natural for Marinette to doubt her, Chloe reminded herself, she just had to be patient. But in the same way Hawkmoth's recent actions puzzled her, Marinette's recent actions kept something nagging at the back of her mind. Had she always been so jumpy? She had been dating Luka for years now, why were they having problems now?

She opened her mouth, allowing a marshmallow to slide in with the hot chocolate. For now she had done all she could. She had given Luka advice on how to handle the situation, hinted that what Marinette was doing was important. It just didn't feel like it was enough. The problems with Luka and Marinette would only get worse if they didn't stop trying to be considerate of each other and refusing to talk.

The akuma continued to hover as she set down her mug. Something was building, stirring in the late autumn air. Chloe set her jaw. If no one else was going to be prepared for it, she would be.

* * *

**AUTHORS NOTE: Guess who's going to be uploading every day! I'm still finishing up the last chapter, but the whole story is like 42-43 chapters long so I'm starting to upload now. Whoo! The document I'm typing it up on is just over a hundred pages, way longer than I meant it to be - and that's while leaving out some things I wanted to include. I hope you like it and I love all of your comments so I'm really exited to be able to upload everyday now. Thank's for reading!**


	28. Chapter 28

"Just a tuck here and we'll be done with the alterations," Marinette said jabbing a pin through the white cloth.

"Perfect," Felix said, sliding the jacket off, "that went much faster than I thought it would."

"You're a lot more chill than I was expecting you too be," Marinette retorted, taking the jacket to her sewing machine.

"What do you mean."

"No offence, but I heard the last time you visited you kinda caused a stir."

"It was an immature joke," He replied, waving it off, "I've grown since then."

"Right." Marinette said, unsure how much to trust his words. Her most vivid memory of him was him hitting on Ladybug while pretending to be Adrien after all.

She pressed the machines petal, removing the pin, as Lila walked in.

"Mr. Agreste wants you to try this shirt next." She said, draping it on a chair.

"Will do, thanks for all your work by the way." Felix said, fingering the cloth she had just laid down. "How is my esteemed uncle anyways? I haven't seen him since I got here."

"Done!" Marinette said, clipping the loose thread and holding it up, "I'm going to go take this for final check. Be right back." She rushed out of the room, jacket draped over her arm.

Lila smiled sweetly as Felix took of one shirt and put on the other. "I'm afraid Mr. Agreste isn't doing to well at the moment."

"Oh?" Felix said, raising an eyebrow.

She nodded, plumping her lips into a calculated pout. "This last minuet change to his fashion line seems to be stressing him out." For a second her eyes sharpened, the underlying hunger for power and acceptance shining through, but it disappeared almost as soon as it came. "It's sad, but sometimes it feels like he's non-functional. Honestly I do most of the work right now."

Felix smiled. Lila's half-second slip in expression had not gone unnoticed. "What a shame," he said casually, finishing buttoning up the new shirt, "It's great that he has you here to help him out though. You must have a lot of ambition to take so much onto your plate."

Lila froze for a second. He hadn't stated it as a question. Was he on to her? "Oh, it's not ambition so much as admiration for Mr. Agreste," she said quickly, "I only want to do what I can to help out."

"How admirable." Felix said, turning to a mirror, "Anyways, I think this fits just fine, don't you?"

A floor above where Felix was being measured for alterations Adrien paced his room, chewing on his thumb nail.

"It's not that bad," Plagg said hovering over him, "so they filmed your shoes, so what?"

"Plagg, this is a big deal," Adrien said, turning on his kwami, "Someone already knows Ladybug's identity. If mine is outed too I don't know what would happen! Only that it wouldn't be good."

"I mean, sure, but no one did find out your identity. I'm sure it's perfectly fine. Let's just eat some cheese and forget about it. I've had my eye on this wonderfully aged Brie-"

Adrien sighed, sitting down. "Not right now Plagg. We need to make sure Ladybug doesn't find out about this, she's stressed enough already."

"Oh, well, it's too late for that."

Adrien swiveled his head so he was staring his kwami dead in the face. "What do you mean?"

Plagg sighed, rolling his eyes. "Do we have to go over this now? I already got an earful from Sugar Cube about the importance of keeping our identities secret. Blah, blah, blah."

Adrien groaned. "Great. Ladybug's going to be angry with me on top of being stressed."

A knock sounded from his door and Plagg flew into Adrien's jacket. Marinette yelled out from the other side.

"Adrien! I got the go ahead from your dad to start on the last adjustments to your outfits!"

He went to the door and opened it up. Marinette stood before him, arms full with a pile of black and white clothing pieces. He took the top of the pile allowing Marinette a little bit more free movement.

"Why don't we just do the fitting in here," Adrien said, holding back a small laugh as the hassled girl before him smiled at him gratefully, "since you already brought everything. Pretty sure you only forgot the kitchen sink."

"Anything to get away from the other two." She said brushing by him and dumping the pile of cloth on the couch.

"That bad?" Adrien asked, putting his pile on top of hers.

"Between Lila sucking up to Felix with her lies and Felix's attempts to pretend that he did nothing wrong last time he visited," She sighed, sticking her hand into her makeshift sewing apron, pulling out the measuring tape, "I'm stress enough without being forced to be in the same room as two people I dislike."

Adrien pulled off his jacket, praying Plagg had hidden himself well enough in it that he wouldn't be spotted, and grabbed the back of his shirt, pulling it off. "You know, there was a time when I thought you were the type of person who never disliked anyone."

Marinette snorted, handing him the first top in the pile. "Except Chloe. Anyway, I know enough people now to know I can't like everyone."

"I mean, you tolerated her okay. Chloe I mean."

"And now she's back on my nerves." Marinette mumbled, flipping his collar down.

Adrien raised an eyebrow, the note of tiredness in her voice oddly familiar. "You okay Marinette? You've seemed a little, well, off recently."

Marinette rubbed her temple, allowing Adrien to walk her to the couch and sit her down. "It's just," she started, "it feels like there's so much going on right now. My internship, school, my personal life," She stopped suddenly, unsure how to express the time she spent being Ladybug, "everything. Just everything. It's all so much. And now I'm fighting with Luka and, and it just feels like everything is spiraling downhill."

"You and Luka are fighting?" Adrien asked sitting next to her, "I've barley seen you guys disagree on pizza toppings, let alone have a real fight."

"I know, it's just so, urrggg, stupid! I mean I have so much going on, you'd think he'd just trust me. Understand that I can't just have him in every single part of my life."

"But isn't that what relationships are for?"

"Yes. No. Anyway, I just can't continue on with him like this. The past few days he's even stopped texting me."

"Have you texted him?"

"Well," She thought, had she texted him? She couldn't remember.

Adrien looked at her seriously. He had never seen her so worked up and so tired at the same time. "Maybe he's just giving you some space. Maybe that's what you need."

"I know," Marinette said, throat closing up and eyes stinging, "I know, I just – there's nothing right now Adrien. Nothing for me to lean on. Luka can't help me, not with this."

"What are you talking about?"

She shook her head, long pigtails swaying behind her. "There's nothing."


	29. Chapter 29

Chloe walked down by the river again, looking for Luka. He had texted her saying that he had set up a speaker by the river walk and gotten a permit to play on the street. She had offered to help jump start his career when she heard but he had softly refused, determined to make his own way.

There weren't many people on the walk, the crisp and chilled air closer to ice by the river. Her breath turned to clouds with each puff she let out and she kept her hands stuffed in her pockets. A small crowd of people were gathered a ways in front of her, familiar music bursting through.

Chloe walked up, watching Luka's show. His guitar work was excellent and his voice, though far from smooth, was full of texture that broke through the cold air. As she got closer Chole noticed Marinette standing nearby, obviously there for support but staring intently down at her phone. Chloe raised an eyebrow and walked up next to her.

"He's good huh." She said.

Marinette jumped, taking a step back. "Wha- Chloe? Why are you here?"

Chloe rolled her eyes, "What are _you_ so jumpy? Anyways, Luka invited me to come and listen."

Marinette recomposed herself, shoving her phone into her pocket. "_He_ invited _you_?"

"You sound so surprised but it's obvious that he would, after all this was_ my_ idea."

"Really." Marinette said unimpressed, shifting her weight so she was leaning heavy on one foot.

"Well not this cheap street performance thing," Chloe said fluttering her hand dismissively, "but pursuing his own goal while you deal with your, uh, things."

Marinette narrowed her eyes, making her voice low. "You mean my being-"

"Not here," Chloe said interrupting her and glancing around, "I'm being watched."

Marinette barked out a laugh. "Really? By who?"

"Hawkmoth."

"Uh-huh." Marinette rolled her eyes, "and why exactly would he be watching you?"

"Because of what I was six years ago." Chloe drew her brow so a small wrinkle appeared above her nose. "He's waiting for me to slip up again, to ruin someone's life or something."

Marinette's expression smoothed over and she pressed her lips together so they turned white. "What you_ were_? Chloe, you're holding my secret over my head and flirting with my boyfriend. I'm going to have to side with Hawkmoth on this one."

Chloe's voice became low, her hands balled into fists inside her pockets. "You're wrong." She said, holding her chin up, "I have spent the last six years reflecting on what I was. On how everything went wrong. I realized I had to change myself if I wanted to become a person I could be proud of. And I did it. I did it Dupain-Cheng, and I won't let you or anyone else say otherwise."

Marinette leaned back on her heels. "So you regret what you did?"

"I recognize what I did was wrong."

"But do you regret it?"

Chloe met her gaze, a burning fire sparking behind her eyes. "I won't abandon my past self, Marinette. A Bourgeois never regrets."

Marinette narrowed her eyes. "Then you are exactly the same brat who left Paris all those years ago."

The music stopped accompanied by a smattering of applause from the crowd. Spare change was thrown into Luka's guitar case and he turned to Marinette, raising his eyebrows when her saw that Chloe was there too.

"Did you guys like my set?" He asked smiling, setting his guitar down.

The girls didn't break eye contact.

"If you think that Marinette," Chloe said, clicking her heel on the pavement, "then you aren't as good a judge as I thought you were." She turned to Luka and gave him a soft smile. "The music was really good Luka, thanks for inviting me. I'm serious about my offer to sponsor you going pro, give me a call if you change you mind." She turned on her heels and stalked away, cheeks burning and eyes stinging. Marinette was wrong. Hawkmoth was wrong. She straightened her back, keeping her chin high. She would prove them wrong.

Luka and Marinette watched her walk off.

Luka sighed, scratching the back of his head. His fingers were cold and stiff, red with cold. "You could try to get along with her better," Luka said, "she's not actually all that bad."

"Please," Marinette said, irritated, "do you even remember everything I told you about her? She's the devil incarnate!"

"Marinette, chill," Luka said, taking a step back from her, "that was years ago. None of her actions thus far have given me any reason to believe that she's the same person she was back then."

"Easy for you to say," Marinette snapped, crossing her arms, "she's offering to sponsor your whole career. If you knew what she was really like, what she has really done-"

"Marinette, stop." Luka said, uncharacteristically firm. He looked her in the eyes, stilling her swirling emotions. "I know what she's done, I was one of the victims. That day where she let herself get akumatized I was one of the hero's whose identity was outed, remember? She used me to fight against Ladybug and Chat Noir, used me to fight against your friends who were also outed. I've never gotten to use my powers since because everyone knows who I was, but I still remember what they were. Do you?"

Marinette looked down, biting her lip. "Second chance."

He tilted her chin back up to look at him and nodded. "Second chance. I can't have that power anymore, but I can still take it as a lesson. Everyone deserves a second chance Marinette, especially if they've shown that they're willing to change."

She swallowed, eyes burning. "I can't have this conversation right now Luka," She stepped away, "I have to go, I have work to do."

He ran a hand through his hair as she turned away. "Did you at least like the songs? I wrote the first one for you."

She gave him a half smile, trying her best to leave on a positive note. "They were really good. I love your music Luka. I'll see you tomorrow."

Luka smiled softly back. "It's been a while since our last real date, I'm looking forward to it."


	30. Chapter 30

"Do the shoes fit okay?" Lila asked Felix, a cheerful smile plastered on her face. For the past two hours Felix had been unsatisfied with one thing or another. Eventually Marinette had gotten a text from her boyfriend and had left, leaving Lila and Felix alone.

Felix snorted, leaning back in his chair. "You can drop the act princess," he said, "that Marinette chick is gone now."

Lila dropped her tensed cheerfulness, expression turning blank. "The pretense wasn't for her," Lila said, plopping in a free chair across from Felix, "but if you're going to call me out so blatantly I might as well drop the act."

Felix smirked, kicking the shoes off. "The shoes fit fine," He said, "but that's not the issue here."

Lila rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. "Stop beating about the bush Felix. I've seen you poking around Mr. Agreste's house. What do you want?"

He narrowed his eyes, frowning. "Dirt on my uncle. Something tells me you have it."

Lila gave a tittering laugh, sitting forward and crossing her legs. "Even if I did have something on him, why would I tell you? Seems like a dumb idea to give up a potential card in my hand, not that I have one."

"True," Felix said, "but I have a feeling our interests are crossed. It might make things easier if we work together."

"You're a worse liar than me," Lila said getting up, "you have nothing to offer so I think we're done here."

Felix smiled menacingly as she started out the door. "If the shoe fits."

She rolled her eyes, keeping the door open just long enough to say, "You're as unfunny as that loser Chat Noir."

* * *

"Hey, hey, I'm here!" Marinette said running up to Luka, breathless, "sorry I'm a bit late."

"You're getting better," Luka chuckled, taking her hand, "only five minutes late this time."

"I wanted to make an effort," she panted, "I know I've been a little standoffish lately."

Luka bent down, giving her a quick peck on the lips. "Thank you."

She gave a small smile, blushing. They linked fingers, enjoying each other's warmth, and started walking down the avenue.

"So what's on the agenda?" Marinette asked, leaning into him.

Luka stiffened for a moment, blushing lightly, before relaxing into her touch.

"I wanted to thank you for making our costumes for the party," Luka said, pulling out two tickets, "so I bought a couple tickets to go see _The Magic Flute_. I figured you should see the inspiration for our costumes live."

"There aren't any mosh pits at the opera are there," Marinette joked, nudging him playfully, "I mean, considering the last concert you took me to…"

"Hey," Luka laughed, "it was a great line up! Totally worth it."

Marinette bounced on her tip-toes, pecking him lightly on the cheek. "I'm glad we agree on something." She sighed, "I feel like we've both been on edge for the past couple months. This is nice."

"Mmhm," Luka nodded, "It's a much need breath of fresh air I think. With everything that's going on with you lately-"

Marinette stopped walking. "What do you mean by that?"

"Nothing," Luka said quickly, not wanting to get in another argument, "you've just been so stressed and all, it's nice to see you relax for once. To have you spend some time with me again."

"You know I'm not spending time away from you on purpose." She raised an eyebrow.

"I know, okay," he took a breath, "I know. And I'm happy you're fulfilling your dream. I just, I wish you would lean on me a bit more." He looked her in the eye. "I love you Marinette, but I feel like you're not letting me express that."

She blushed and they started walking again. "I love you too Luka," she said softly, "but there are some things I just can't share with you. For your own sake."

He pressed his lips together but didn't say anything, a strange void stretching between the two though they were physically touching.

After a minuet Marinette spoke again. "I thought about what you said," he looked at her from the corner of his eye, listening as she spoke, "you know, yesterday. About Chloe."

"Yah?"

"I think you're right. I should give her a second chance. It's just, even now she's so, grr, frustrating!"

Luka chuckled. "Oh, come on, she's not that bad. You'll be able to get along with her just fine."

"Why are you so nice about her anyway?" Marinette asked, squeezing his hand a little.

Luka shrugged. "I think she just deserves a little more credit than you all give her. She's actually a pretty decent person once you get passed her pompous act."

Marinette raised her eyebrows. "Pompous act?"

"Okay, maybe not act per-se," Luka said, "but you know, at first glance her words sound harsh but if you actually listen to what she's saying you realize that she's actually being nice."

"You seem to have listened to her pretty closely…"

Luka shrugged. "I think everyone else just doesn't hear her in the first place."

They walked up to the Palais Garnier Opera House and Marinette paled. Luka noticed and led her to lean against one of the grand marble pillars for a moment so they could catch their breath.

"Now I see why you told me to dress up," Marinette said, looking down at her black polka dotted dress peeking out from under her jacket, "I kind of still feel underdressed."

Luka smiled, planting another light kiss on her lips. "You look perfect."

Marinette flashed him a nervous smile, unable to fully concentrate with golden angels on the roof staring back down at them. They got ready to head in, the streets dimming, when Marinette's phone buzzed.

"Wait a second," she said, stopping just before the doors.

Luka pulled her to the side so other opera attendees could go in and out unencumbered.

It was a news alert, a new villain was attacking the city. Marinette bit her lip. Could Chat do it on his own? Would he understand? The trouble was on the other side of the city, no one was troubled by anything where she and Luka stood. A fire broke out on the screen. Marinette stiffened, narrowing her eyes. Something was wrong with this villain, Hawkmoth had never made one quite like it before. It was attached to senti-monster as well, breathing fire aimlessly around it. There was no announcement for what the villain wanted either.

Luka watched Marinette's expression, heart falling as a shadow passed over her face. She was going to leave him again. Suddenly he felt sick to his stomach, he couldn't keep this up. An unfamiliar wave of longing washed over him and he started to shake with the effort not to look over his girlfriends shoulder and see what was on her phone that was controlling her so. His chest became tight and his breath short.

"Luka," Marinette started, looking up from her phone. His expression stopped her.

His eyes were glossy and rimmed red, his face paler than normal. His eyebrows were drawn as he helplessly grasped at what he could possibly do to stop feeling the way he did. He pressed his lips together tightly, hands balled into fists.

The words caught in Marinette's throat. She swallowed and said them anyway. "Luka, I have to go."

"Now? It can't wait?"

She blinked, brows drawn. He had never tried to stop her before. "I'm sorry, it, it's urgent."

"Then could you tell me what it is?"

"I-I can't."

"Please," Luka begged, loosening his hands so they fell to his side, palms open, "I need to know Marinette, I can't keep on going on like this."

"I just, I need a little more time."

"How much more time do I need to give you!" Luka shouted. Immediately he blushed, lowering his voice as people turned to look at them. "We've been together for six years Marinette. Six _years_. If you don't trust me at this point then I don't know what I've done wrong."

"I do trust you Luka," Marinette pleaded, "I do. I just- I can't tell you. Look, I'll make it fast. I'll be right back."

Luka stepped back, a shadow crossing his face. "Go do what you need to do," he said, voice hoarse, "I'll meet you here when everything's done."

"I'll be back before then," Marinette promised, rushing away.


	31. Chapter 31

"Glad you came before this became a real cat-astrophe," Chat Noir said as Ladybug swung onto the roof next to him.

"No time for puns kitty," Ladybug said, "what's going on?"

"Sorry, didn't mean to Bug ya," Ladybug glared at him and he turned his attention back to the villain spewing flames before them. "From what I gather his character that he was attached to in D&D was killed, or he said as much before he and his senti-monster went haywire. It's weird, normally the victims purr-dicament is worse than a game character dying."

They jumped back as flames spewed at them, the senti-moster spinning in circles.

"So what, he just turned into a dragon tamer or something? He's not even aiming at us, he's just going on a random rampage." Ladybug said.

Chat Noir narrowed his eyes. "To be honest it doesn't really look like the tamer has much control over his dragon." He nodded at the fire breathing senti-monster the villain was riding. "That's the villains name by the way, Trainer."

"MIRACULOUS!" The villain screamed suddenly, driving his dragon into a building, "GIVE THE MIRACULOUS!"

Ladybug leaped to the roof directly in front of the villains. "I'm over here!" She called, "Come get my miraculous!"

"NO! NO!" Trainer yelled, ignoring Ladybug, "I NEED- NEED MIRACULOUS!"

"I don't think that's going to work Lady," Chat said, "a couple minuets before you got here he just stopped paying attention to anything around him all together. He keeps on holding his head like he's in pain or something."

"AHHHHHHHHHHH! MIRACULOUS!"

"I don't know what's going on," Ladybug said, "but I think we're going to need a little luck." She threw her yoyo into the air shouting, "LUCKY CHARM!"

Nothing happened.

"What's going on?" Ladybug asked. She tried again, "LUCKY CHARM!"

Chat Noir tackled her into the ground as a stream of fire came their way.

"What's going on?" Ladybug asked, starting to panic a little.

"Maybe we already have what we need?" Chat suggested, helping her back up.

Ladybug shook her head. "I don't think so. I mean, look at that thing."

The dragon crashed into another building, nearly throwing the Tamer off of it's back.

"Anyways," she continued, "for now we need to put some of these fires out. Everyone has already been evacuated, correct?"

Chat nodded. "I believe so, but it really is hard to tell through all this smoke."

Ladybug set her mouth grimly. "Let's hope you're right Chat, the smoke's thick enough to kill in some of these buildings."

"NO!" The trainer screamed again. The dragon beneath him started shuddering, freezing in it's tracks, "NO! IT CAN'T BE!" For a second it sounded as if more than one voice was coming from his mouth. Everything went silent. The dragon stopped moving altogether, the Trainer looking up dumbly at the sky.

"I don't know what's going on Chat, but now's our chance!" Ladybug cried.

They leapt forward but before they reached the dragon it melted away in a purple-black smoke, leaving behind a small plastic dragon. Ladybug quickly caught the revealed purple feather in her yoyo's container. A second later the Trainer de-akumatized as well, the purple butterfly not even bothering to try and fly away as Ladybug caught it. She quickly released the purified the feather and butterfly.

She and Chat Noir ran over to the victim. He was holding his head, rocking back and forth.

"What was that?" He murmured, "What was that nightmare?" He looked up at the hero's. shaking, "Where am I? What happened?" He desperately grabbed Chat Noir's shoulders, "Tell me. Am I alive?"

Ladybug and Chat Noir looked at each other, brows drawn.

"You're alive," Ladybug said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "are you okay?"

He looked at her, eyes wide. "H-his voice kept on ringing in my head," he mumbled, letting go of Chat and backing off, "Not dead. Not dead. Over and over and over." He started coughing, the smoke around them thickening as fire poured out of every building around them. "I had only killed my character, this, this was something else. Like someone else's thoughts were controlling mine." A couple tears fell from his eyes.

Ladybug put her arm over her mouth and turned to Chat Noir, "We have to get him out of here, the smoke's too thick to breath."

Chat grabbed the panicking man and used his baton to vault them away. Ladybug threw he yoyo up into the air, yelling, "Miraculous Ladybug!"

The fires went out and the smoke dispersed. Around her the rubble cleared from the streets as the buildings put themselves back together. Satisfied that her miraculous ladybug power was working even though her luck charm hadn't, Ladybug swung after Chat Noir. She found him and the victim a couple streets down.

Chat Noir was rubbing the akuma victims back as he rocked back and forth, shaking.

"It wasn't me," he mumbled, Chat's comfort seemingly not helping much, "it wasn't me."

"How's he doing?" Ladybug asked walking up.

Chat shook his head, turning back to the trembling man before them. "It's okay," he told him, "no one is responsible when they're akumatized. We now it wasn't you."

"That's not what I mean!" The man shouted, "Don't you see? Well don't you? It wasn't my emotion!"

"What?" Ladybug asked, drawing her brows together.

The mans words started to string together without pause, barley allowing himself to breath. "Don't you see? It wasn't my emotion! Ladybug! Chat Noir! It wasn't me. I was sad about losing my character, sure, upset, yes, but I didn't have that consuming, overwhelming grief that took hold of me." He covered his head, shuddering. "No. No. That wasn't my grief. I've never felt something so sickeningly intense before! That wasn't something I am capable of producing. It couldn't have been me."

Chat Noir and Ladybug looked at each other and nodded.

"Sir," Chat said, "I'm going to take you to the officers over there, they'll help you calm down. Let you talk, maybe get you a warm drink. It'll be okay."


	32. Chapter 32

**AUTHORS NOTE/WARNING : This chapter turned out a little darker than I had originally meant it to be. There is an unpleasant and vivid description near the middle. I will italicize this section so you may skip over it if you want, it is not very long. This is the only chapter with this type of content in the entire story. Thank you so much for reading and commenting, it means a ton!**

Once the akuma victim was taken care of Ladybug and Chat Noir watched the migration of evacuated citizens to their homes from the roof.

"Glad that Purr-dicament was taken care of." Chat said nudging Ladybug.

She turned on him, face nearly as red as her costume. "Barely Chat Noir! Barely! And all you could do was pun your way through it! Do you know what I had to drop in order to get here on time?"

"No milady," Chat said stepping back, concerned, "how could I?"

"And all you could do was crack a pun!" She shouted, not hearing him, "There was fire and destruction all around us and you didn't even care!"

"Of course I cared Ladybug, you know me, but-"

"All you do is prance around wearing cat ears without a single care in the world while my world falls around my ears!"

Chat drew himself up, frowning. He looked his partner in the eye. "Ladybug, what's wrong? You never act like this."

"Everything!" She screamed, eyes burning. "Everything's wrong Chat! And to top it all off you went and nearly exposed your identity!"

He drew his eyebrows together. "Are you talking about that video that's been circulating?"

"If anyone finds out you have to give your miraculous back you know!" Ladybug said, "You'd be leaving everything, EVERYTHING, in my hands! I'd be responsible for your successor! I can't do that Chat, I really can't!"

"Ladybug," he said, reaching out to her.

Someone below screamed, cutting the air. Immediately Ladybug and Chat Noir jumped from the roof, aiming for the window where the shrieks ensued. They leaped through the window, ready for battle.

"What's the problem?" Ladybug asked, spinning her yoyo.

A woman cowered against her door staring at the space behind a couch, tears streaming down her face. She looked at the hero's after a moment, raising a shaking finger and pointing to where she had been looking.

"M-m-m-m-" She tried to say, voice caught in her sobs.

Ladybug and Chat Noir walked over to where the woman was point, freezing as they rounded the corner. Ladybug took a step back putting her hand over her mouth, horrified tears pricking the corners of her eyes. Her body stiffened, shaking ever so slightly.

_In the walkway behind the couch lay a charred corpse, taught and peeling hand reaching towards the door. It's clothing had been burnt off entirely, its skin burnt beyond recognition. The person's back was still bubbling from the heat of the long-gone fires, its skull caved in from since fixed rubble._

"I- I thought everyone had been evacuated," Chat said, turning to Ladybug.

She didn't say anything, her body continuing to shake.

The woman opened her mouth, barely audible as her lips trembled. "S-she said she'd be r-right back," Her tears fell down her face in salty bulbs, racking her voice as she spoke, "I-I-I thought," she swallowed, "I thought, she had gotten out. I h-had told her that e-everything would go back to n-n-normal afterwards," She choked, gasping, "I told her. S-she had just moved in with m-me a-after the-the doctor-" She stopped, unable to speak through her sobs. "Mom!" She cried out, reaching to the corpse, "MOM!"

"This is my fault." Ladybug said, throat tight. A thin tear slid down her mask.

"No," Chat said, reaching for her, "no. Your powers can't bring back a person who's already dead. There was no way for us to know that someone had come back."

"It's my fault." She repeated, backing up. She spun on her heels, leaping out the window, swinging away.

Chat stepped forward, ready to go after her, but the sobs of the woman behind him stilled his movement. He sighed, nervously glancing where Ladybug had disappeared, and turned back to the grief wracked woman. Ladybug would be okay, this woman need support. He knelt next to her, touching her shoulder.

Ladybug swung across the city, thin tears falling from her eyes. It was her fault. She had failed. She had failed her duty. She had failed her partner. As she left she failed the woman left crying over the loss of her elderly mother. She had failed the old woman's life. Upon her shoulders she held responsibility for every beating heart in Paris, and she had failed her most basic duty to keep everyone alive. The blackened corpse flashed through her head again and she landed on a nearly deserted street.

Clouds had started gathering in the sky, a light snow threatening to fall. She ran into an abandoned alleyway, de-transforming. Tikki flew out of her earrings, falling lightly into Marinette's shaking hands.

"Marinette," the kwami said, reaching up to touch her face, "I'm sorry Marinette. I'm sorry."

Marinette silently handed her a cookie from her purse, bleary vision making her partner appear to be nothing more than a blurred red spot. Tikki ate the cookie quickly, never looking away from Marinette's face.

"It'll be okay," Tikki said softly when she was done rejuvenating, "I promise Marinette, it'll be okay. I'm sorry, I failed you."

Marinette wiped her eyes, a grey shadow keeping light from hitting her face. A single snowflake drifted down from the darkened sky and she shivered.

"Go back to the opera," Tikki urged, "you've been overseeing the evacuees for hours now. It's nearly midnight and you're freezing."

"The opera," Marinette said lifelessly, "Luka," tears started falling from her eyes again, nearly freezing to her face in the chilled air, "he's waiting."

"Yes, yes," Tikki urged, willing to refocus Marinette's dark thoughts, "go to Luka."

Marinette lurched around, shoulders slumped, and started walking back to the opera house. Her heels clicked down the stone streets with empty purpose. Her head hung so the streetlights only cast shadow over her face. A few more flakes fell from the sky. A light, sleeting snow started to cover Paris. Thirty minuets later her blistered heels crossed the last street to the opera house. Attendees were stepping into their hired cars, draped in expensive coats.

Luka stood waiting in the same place Marinette had left him, breathing on his hands in an attempt to keep warm. Marinette's face lit up, a comforting hope gleaming in her eyes as he looked up at her. His expression made her already torn heart wrench.

He spotted the iced lines of tears streaking her face and the unheeded red of her fingers and ran up to her, expression softening.

"Marinette! What happened? Where have you been?"

"Luka," Marinette said, a sad tiredness coating her voice, "Luka, it's terrible. I can't do it. I can't do it anymore."

He took her shoulders, looking into her face. "What are you talking about?" He asked.

Immediately she drew her expression in, a final tear falling down her stoic face.

He drew back, pressing his lips and narrowing his eyebrows. "I can't help you unless you tell me." He said, "not this time." She looked up at him helplessly, "I want to," he said, voice tearing at his throat as he watched light leave her eyes, "I want to help you. But this requires you to tell me how. I can't keep on being in the dark Marinette, I need you to trust me."


	33. Chapter 33

Hawkmoth knelt defeated on the floor of his layer, the butterfly's he controlled resting on the floor around him creating a glowing white field. Natalie quickly placed her Peacock miraculous on a small round table near the edge of the room and waded through the puddle of butterflies to her commander.

"It's over," Hawkmoth said. His costume melted off in a dark cloud around him, a small purple kwami spiraling out.

"Perhaps if-" Natalie said.

Mr. Agreste held up a hand, silencing her. Tears fell down his face, dripping over his newly formed wrinkles. "This time," he said hoarsely, "it's truly over. Emilie has left me."

"M-master," the purple kwami said nervously.

"Ah, Nooroo," Gabriel said, looking up at the kwami with empty eyes, "I no longer need you. I renounce you." He took the pin on his color off, the kwami returning to it with a small flash.

"I'll begin the preparations for the burial," Natalie said, kneeling down and wrapping her arms tenderly around Gabriel's broad shoulders. She squeezed her eyes shut, not allowing any tears to pass down her face. "I'm so, so sorry sir."

Mr. Agreste placed his hand on one of hers, looking up at her kindly through her tears. "Thank you, Natalie. You have remained with me through the worst."

They went to the sinking platform, returning to his office. As they entered from the secret platform they were met by a grinning Lila, watching them emerged with crossed arms.

The corners of Gabriel's mouth hardened as they stepped off. "Why are you here."

Lila's sharp eyes quickly took in the small boxes in his and Natalie's hands, the signature purple broach missing from the designers ascot. Her grin broadened even as her eyes narrowed.

"You've been crying," She noted, walking up to her bewildered employers and holding out a handkerchief. Gabriel took it, confused. As he grabbed the handkerchief Lila snatched the box in Natalie's hand.

"Hey-" Natalie started.

"You promised." Lila reminded her, opening it and smiling down at the peacock pin.

"What is she talking about Natalie?" Mr. Agreste asked haggardly.

"Never mind that," Natalie said, guiding him to another hidden sinking platform, "let's go see Emilie one last time."

He nodded and Lila joined them.

"Don't follow," Natalie snapped, glaring at her.

Lila rolled her eyes. "I want to see what all this was for."

Natalie stood in front of the platform, keeping Lila from getting on with them. Gabriel touched her shoulder, shaking his head.

"It's fine Natalie," he said, "it doesn't matter anymore."

The three descended on the platform, taking the elevator down to a room beneath the mansion. Lila raised her eyebrows taking in the underground greenhouse around them. The darkened high ceiling nearly humbled her, the carefully cared for plants a surreal green in the little sunlight bursting from the window shining down on them. They walked down a metal platform towards a dull white cylinder. It opened revealing a hollowed shell of a woman behind glass.

Mr. Agreste knelt before it, resting his head against the cool glass. Lila watched, putting her hands on her hips and leaning back. She didn't see what the big deal was. The woman in the glass had clearly once been a beauty but her hair had long since started falling out, her cheeks sunken in. Her skin had tightened over her bones. She wasn't much more than a skeleton.

"I'm sorry," Gabriel murmured, tears falling down his nose once again, "I'm sorry Emilie. I failed you."

Natalie came up behind him, squeezing his shoulder. The two felt the grief of the situation so deeply that the mechanical sound breaking the silence drew no attention. Only the unattached Lila turned, eyes narrowing as she watched the elevator descend with a triumphant Felix inside.

He saw her watching and put a finger to his lips as the glass door slid open. His footsteps were silent despite the echoing metal and he walked up behind his uncle, Lila watching closely. Gabriel's arms hung loosely at his side, the box barely gripped in his hand. Quickly and deftly Felix snatched the miraculous box out of his uncles hand.

Gabriel jumped, turning. Natalie following his lead.

"I see," Felix said grinning, "this is what you've been hiding all this time."

"How did you find this place?" Natalie asked, voice hard.

"It's not hard to find when it's owner is as unobservant as you are," Felix sneered, "I was watching through the crack of the office door the entire time."

Lila sniggered. "You're not wrong."

"OH?" Felix said, raising an eyebrow, "then why were you so adverse to sharing this information with me?"

"Simple," Lila's expression dropped, eyes staring at him darkly with indifference, "I don't trust you."

He shrugged. "A wise decision." He glanced at the box in her hand, "though it seems like when we're given the same information we make the same choices. Now then, what is this?" He opened the box and fingered the purple pin. Nooroo spun out and Felix jumped back, nearly dropping the box. "What the heck is that!"

Gabriel stood up. "It's a kwami," he said.

"Sir-" Natalie protested.

"It's fine Natalie," He said stopping her, "I've no use for it any longer." Nooroo bit its lip, heart heavy with being called an 'it'. "You have my power," Mr. Agreste continued, the shadows across his face long, "now leave me with my grief."

Lila and Felix turned and walked to the elevator, miraculous in tow.

"Oh, by the way," Lila said, turning back to look at her employer with a sickeningly sweet smile, "Thank you for your miraculous."

"Truly uncle," Felix said behind her as the doors started to slide closed, "thank you."

* * *

"So then," Felix said, attaching the purple broach to his vest, "that's how this works."

Nooroo nodded as Lila rolled her eyes behind him. They had returned to Hawkmoth's layer, immediately putting on their new miraculous and had their kwami's explain how their powers worked.

"What are you going to do with your power?" Lila asked, caressing the feathers on her brooch.

"Heh," Felix snorted, "Like I'd tell you. Sorry to say but trust and lack thereof goes both ways."

"Please, if we're in here it's obvious we both want the power combining the Ladybug and Cat miraculous will give us. It wouldn't hurt to let me know why you want them."

"You're not as subtle as you think you are," Felix said, "I'm not going to say anything if you don't share your plan as well."

Lila raised an eyebrow. "Touché."

* * *

**AUTHORS NOTE: Hey everyone! I would like to thank user ****yellow 14**** for pointing out a couple of stupid mistakes I made in the last chapter (seriously, how did I confuse Predecessor and Successor?) I have since fixed the mistakes and ****re-uploaded the chapter. I know this story isn't perfect but I really enjoyed writing it and would like to thank everyone for continuing to read as I upload. The pace of the story is about to pick up so look forward to it!**


	34. Chapter 34

Out of the layers darkness two new faces smiled out.

Felix's hair had slicked back, a flaring purple mask covering the top part of his face. His gloved hands held a purple, knobbed, walking stick and a sleek purple suit hugged his form. Lila's skin and hair had turned blue, her loose ponytail flipping so it pointed up. A dark blue feather mask hugged her face, the whites of her eyes turned black. Long feathers cascaded down her back like a cape, a dark blue evening gown covering her form.

"Well then," She said stepping forward, "Anyone who fits the bill?"

"Hawkmoth was too kind," He sneered, "someone with truly dark emotions is a lot harder to find than a child who's not allowed to have candy."

She smiled, "True, but I feel someone who's close to cracking near the opera. A scorned star perhaps?"

"Let's focus in and see."

Chloe walked out of the gilded opera building, bracing her jacket's collar against the cold. She had offered to represent her family on the productions opening night but was quickly regretting the pomp filled choice as an icy wind blew her back. As the door behind her swung shut she heard a couple familiar voices, turning in surprise to see a troubled Luka and a tear stained Marinette. Both had uncharacteristically hard expressions though while Luka's was backed with a hopeless need to understand, a personal grief hid behind Marinette's.

Confused Chloe took out her phone, opening her news app. On the front page was fire filled coverage, the title** DEATH IN TONIGHTS AKUMA ATTACK**. Suddenly everything clicked. Marinette had been dressed as one of the characters from _The Magic Flute_ for Halloween. It must have been a couple costume, Luka's idea. She knew their relationship had been strained lately, what if they decided to go on a date to see the opera live to try and make up? Then the attack happened and Marinette had had to leave the date early. Things had gone badly, she was unable to protect someone, and now both she and Luka were upset and unable to communicate because of Marinette's secret.

Chloe sighed. Thing's would be so much easier if Marinette would just rely on the people around her a little more instead of taking it all upon herself. From the looks of it, Marinette wouldn't be able to take much more.

"I do trust you," Marinette pleaded, "but I can't tell you. Please, Luka, you have to trust me."

Luka swallowed, blinking fast as if tears would start falling if he didn't. "The very fact that you can't tell proves that you don't trust me."

Chloe figured that this was the right time to interject. "Hey Luka," She said walking up. The couple looked at her blankly, "and Marinette too. You guy's on a date?"

"We were supposed to be," Luka mumbled, clenching his fist.

"Chloe," Marinette mouthed, mouth open in an empty O. "Chloe was here?" She asked, turning on Luka, "really? Was this whole date just to try and make us get along?"

"What? No!" Luka said, knitting his brow.

"Please, this is _pure_ coincidence." Chloe added.

"You know what," Marinette said, swallowing a lump that had formed in her throat, "you're right. I don't trust you. Not after this. But I want to. And I want you to trust me too."

Chloe stepped back biting her lip, she had thought her timing was better than this.

Luka straightened his back, holding his chin up. His eyes glazed over, no longer focusing on Marinette. No longer focusing on anything. "I have trusted you," he said, voice low, "since the moment I first met you I have trusted you. I haven giving you the space and understanding you asked for. Everything you seemed to need that I could give you. I've tried to meet your expectations for six years now, and I'm starting to think that it's an impossible task."

"Luka," Marinette said softly, crying again "please."

"I love you Marinette," he said, taking a step back, "but I can't keep on trusting someone who doesn't trust me. I can't help you if you don't let me. And I can't be with someone whom I can neither trust nor help," his eyes started to water, his words becoming choked, "I don't think this relationship is good for either of us right now,"

As he spoke Marinette's expression became more and more impassive, her tears slowing. Lump after lump formed in her throat.

He blinked quickly, looking up at the cloud covered night sky. "I think," he said, voice cracking, "I think it's better for both of us if we break up."

Marinette's face became unreadable, her tears stopping completely and light entirely leaving her eyes. Her lips, numb with cold, parted ever so slightly and she breathed out a barely audible "Ok."

Their frozen breath hung suspended between them, Chloe taking another step back, eyes wide. She hadn't meant for this to happen.

Marinette stepped forward, walking past Luka, heading back down the street. She could no longer feel the cold of the night, the snowflakes on her skin barely registering. The streets were nearly empty, unusual for the busy city, and the snow was just beginning to stick, muffling the hollow echoes bouncing off the imposing buildings.

How had it gone so wrong? Everything was her fault. Why had she said those things to Luka? Did she think he was a perfect human who would accept everything she did to him? She loved him, at least she thought she did, and she had ruined it all. She had treated him like a pillow to cry into. When was the last time she had taken an active interest in their relationship? What about Chat Noir? Her partner for longer than she even knew Luka. Why had she yelled at him? Why had she acted like he had done the worst thing possible when it had been her whose identity had been discovered? And even then he had treated her with kind concern rather than getting mad at her. Even though he had just gone through his own hard break up. Again the scarred corpse flashed through her mind, her shivers having little to do with the cold. How could she have let someone die? Everything was her fault. Everything.

Her thoughts continued to spiral. Down. Down. Down. She had failed Master Fu. She had failed Chat Noir. She had failed Luka. She had failed Paris. Her thoughts hit the pool of nauseating despair weighed down with self- loathing. Her footsteps slowed till she was standing still in the middle of a deserted avenue. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that she was still in one piece while the rest of the world fell down around her. It wasn't fair that the woman had died. It wasn't fair that her daughter had lost her mother with no warning. It wasn't fair that Luka felt responsible, like he had done something wrong. It wasn't fair that she had lashed out a Chat and that he had taken it.

Her face crumpled, wishing she had the energy, the want, the need, to cry, but she was empty. Empty of everything but her own hate for herself. Tikki looked around, making sure no one was out to see her, and flew out of hiding.

"Marinette," she said, getting her owners attention, "Marinette I-"

"Tikki." Marinette interrupted, finally registering her friends presence, "I'm sorry."

"What?" Tikki asked, a worried line appearing between her eyes.

"I don't know what I might do." She reached up to her ears, taking the miraculous off.

"Marinette, no! What are you doing?" Tikki cried.

Marinette held out her hand, giving her miraculous to her kwami. "Take these," Marinette said, "and if something happens to me find someone worthy to be Ladybug."


	35. Chapter 35

Tikki pretended to leave, flying down an alleyway before turning back to peek at Marinette. Something flickered through the lamplight for a second before nearly disappearing altogether in the darkness. Tikki squinted, barely making out the outline of flapping wings and a floating wisp. She gasped. An Akuma and an Amok. That's what Marinette had meant! She narrowed her eyes, determined, and flew away from the spot as fast as she could.

Marinette stood blankly, fingering the promise ring Luka had given her a couple years ago. She had forgotten to give it back to him. Now that she had stopped walking she felt no urgency to start again, the frozen snow soaking her through as a kind numbing of her senses.

The dark butterfly touched her ring, entering it and turning from gold to black. The purple feather did the same to her bracelet.

"Ahh," a voice much younger and yet more sinister than the Hawkmoth she knew said, "perfect despair, perfect self loathing."

"A perfect victim," a woman's voice added, sneering, "Hello Marinette. My name's Madame Plume. It's true that nothing is fair, that the only one to blame is yourself for your actions. I can give you scales of ultimate truth. With them everyone's actions will be judged heavily, weighing down those who lie and do wrong."

"Princess Justice," the other voice said, calm and negotiating, "my name's Winged Gris. I can let you do more than judge your own actions, I can let you judge everyone. Why shouldn't life be fair? Justice may be blind, but I can give you eyes of truth."

"All we ask for in return," they said together, "is Ladybug and Chat Noir's Miraculous."

Marinette said nothing, she had long since lost the capacity for will and the ability to fight back. She let their dark powers bubble through her, her consciousness slipping into the comfortable numbness that comes with direction rather than decision.

Tikki dodged past buildings as a dark dome covered the sky, arching over the quiet city. She turned around just in time to see giant golden scales erupting over Parisian roofs in the direction of the Eiffel tower. They towered higher than any building in the city, visible from all angles. From the highest point the dark dome sprouted, dimming the streetlights and graying the soft snow fall. Still the city did not wake and Tikki continued on her trek in near silence.

The opera house had closed and locked, its lights turned off completely. Luka had long since left the vicinity, holding back his tired sadness as he forced himself to take the subway rather than brave the snow. Now the grand building, open and warm when lit, stood lifeless and cold. The winged figures watching over the corners now seemed impassive rather than inviting, their dead eyes staring coldly at anyone who dared pass by.

At the side of this building, chattering and red as the icy air bit her face and fingers, crouched Chloe, rocking back and forth. She felt the cold bite into her, harshly aware that the frozen pain she felt would last a lifetime if she did not find a warm place to harbor her soon and yet mentally unwilling to move from her huddle. Her eyes were nearly frozen open for she hardly blinked as she rocked, the now heavy snow coating her hair.

Her lips were slightly parted, and felt as though they had been carved that way since the moment she was born. Cloud after cloud of frozen breath burst in her face as she mumbled over and over, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

"Hello." A small, high voice said, getting her attention.

Chloe looked up, finding Marinette's red kwami floating in front of her.

"W-why are you here?" She asked, lips trembling as they moved out of their apologetic mantra. She blinked and noticed the earrings in the Tikki's arms. "Where's Marinette?" She asked drawing her brow.

Tikki shook her head, looking behind her. For the first time since she had squatted down Chloe looked up, eyes shining horrified as she took in the giant scales towering in the sky. "My owner knew she would be akumatized," Tikki said, voice small, "she sent me away with her earrings so Hawkmoth couldn't capture me."

"I'm sorry," Chloe said looking back down, "this is all my fault."

"No it's not," Tikki said kindly, "this was the accumulation of lots of things piling up over time, it had nothing to do with you."

"I triggered it," Chloe insisted, "it was my fault, I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

"You're being ridiculous!" Tikki said firmly, flying into the girls face, "Utterly ridiculous!"

"What are you- what are you talking about?"

"You're doing the same thing Marinette did to get herself into this situation. I'm not going to stand back and watch you people spiral into the same mistakes again." She softened, "Stop taking everything onto yourself. It's not your fault and it's arrogant to think that all this was purely because of you."

Chloe stared at the huffed up kwami blankly, suddenly finding that she was holding back laughter. She swallowed it down shaking her head, surprised how stiff her neck was. She realized that her whole body was dangerously locked up and stood, moving her limbs slowly as her blood started recirculating. She paused as she rotated her shoulder, looking up horrified at the red kwami before her.

"Wait a minute," she gasped, "if Marinette's akumatized how can she be stopped without a Ladybug?"

"She can't," Tikki said seriously, "without Ladybug to de-evilize the akuma and amok this will only get exponentially worse. That's why I came to you."

Chloe shoved her hands in her pockets, narrowing her eyes. "What do you mean?"

Tikki held out the earrings, looking Chloe directly in the eye. "You are the only human who knows Marinette's secret Chloe, you have to take her place."

"Wha-" He eyes widened and she shook her head furiously, "no, Tikki, I can't do that."

"You wanted a chance to prove that you are trustworthy," Tikki urged forcefully, "now's your chance!"

"I can't, I can't!" Chloe stepped back, only to find herself against the operas stony walls. "Me? As Ladybug? That's ridiculous, utterly ridiculous! I-I'm not worthy of the Ladybug miraculous!"

Tikki furrowed her brow, frowning. "Then what does make you worthy?" She said. Chloe snapped her mouth shut, unable to answer. Tikki sighed, expression softening. "Worthiness is more simple than you humans think," She said, "you only need three things. The intention to be good. The understanding of what is good. And the will to follow through with that goodness. I don't think it's hard to accomplish, but it's hard to find humans who know themselves well enough to accomplish all three."

Chloe shook her head. "And I'm not one of the few who can," she said, "I-I'm not good Tikki, not like Marinette."

Tikki narrowed her eyes, surging forward. "But you want to be good?" Chloe nodded, "You know the difference between right and wrong?" Chloe nodded again, pressing against the wall behind her as the glowing creature pressed forward, "And you have the will to change. If you didn't you would never have returned to Paris."

"But-"

"No buts Chloe," Tikki said, high voice as serious as it could sound, "because there is one more factor in all this that you can't refuse. Right now, there is no one else I can go to in order to fulfill this role. You have no choice."

Chloe nodded, biting her lip. A couple hot tears slipped out from her eyes as she held her hands out for the miraculous. Tikki dropped the earrings in her palms and flew back a bit, giving her air. Chloe closed her fingers around the dotted earrings, wiping her face with her free hand. Tears never benefited anything, and they did not suit a Bourgeois. She fasted the earrings on, her numb fingers clumsy at the task. She was ready.

"To transform just say spots on."

Chloe nodded, lowering her eyebrows, cold around her forgotten. "Tikki!" She yelled, building energy, "SPOTS ON!"


	36. Chapter 36

Adrien awoke to an abnormally serious Plagg jumping on his face. "Plagg," he mumbled, "let me sleep. It was a tough and late evening."

"No, no," Plagg urged, pulling his ear, "you don't understand."

"What don't I understand?" Adrien groaned sitting up.

"Well you see, I got up to get my late night snack of this incredible, delicious, camembert," He started.

"Get to the point Plagg," Adrien groaned, rubbing the darkness out of his eyes. It didn't leave.

"Don't you see!" Plagg shouted, "Just look!"

Adrien squinted through his dimmed vision, looking out his window. The whole city seemed to be shrouded in darkness, the only thing clearly visible a giant glowing scale towering up in the sky.

"See!" Plagg said flying in front of his face, "I told you!"

"What's going on?" Adrien murmured, swinging out of his bed. He ran to his giant windows, unable to see any better. "I've never seen a power like this before." He narrowed his eyes. "Come on Plagg, we have work to do!"

"I know," I kwami whined, "but you think I could finish my snack first?"

"No time. Plagg! CLAWS OUT!"

Chat Noir jumped rooftop to rooftop towards the golden scales, keeping an eye out for Ladybug. The silence of the city was deafening. Even with the snow muting the echo there should have been some semblance of sound, but even the buzz of the streetlamps seemed to be cut off. At long last he saw a car stopped at a light but narrowed his eyes as he saw that it was still even though the light was green. He jumped down and peered into the window. The driver was frozen, his eyes glowing white and his body glowing a soft gold.

Chat backed up and looked around. He was in a residential district, surrounded by apartments. Lights flushed through a window and Chat balanced on his baton to peek in. It was full of people, all frozen like the man in the car. Some stood still, cups still in their hands. Others had been frozen mid run, faces contorted as if they had seen something terrifying.

Chat jumped back down, looking closer at the streets. Paris was a large city. Even on it's quietest nights there would be very few roads completely empty, there was always someone out and about. He shook his head an continued his trek to find the base of the scales. At some point he realized that the Eiffel tower was nowhere in sight though he was in a part of town where it should have been visible. The scales had taken its place.

Chat grit his teeth and turned towards the Arc de Triomphe instead. He had to find Ladybug. His mind jumped back to their last meeting only a few hours earlier, the righteous venom she had spat at him, her silence in face of deadly grief. He set his mouth. He could talk to her about it later, right now they had to find Hawkmoths newest victim.

On top of the Arc Chat started pacing. Maybe Ladybug hadn't noticed something was wrong? Maybe she was still asleep like he had been. It seemed like the only people frozen were those who had come in direct contact with this newest villain, it was entirely possible that it hadn't reached her part of the city yet. He slid his baton open, getting ready to contact her. If she took any longer he'd have to start fighting on his own.

Finally he heard the familiar whirr of her yoyo behind him and turned to meet her. Instead a new hero leaped before him. Her blond hair was tied in a bun, antenna like ribbons sticking out from the front. Her body suit was black, the top covered with a spotted red jacked that flared and split in the back – reaching her calves. Only her mask had remained the same as Ladybugs.

Chat Noir immediately took a defensive position, twirling his baton so it pointed at her. "Who are you?" He asked darkly.

"You can call me Ladybird for now," she said, playing with her yoyo absently, "and you can drop the defense, I'm here to help."

Chat tensed up even more. "Where's Ladybug?" He asked stiffly.

She snapped the yoyo back up to her hand, looking him dead in the eye. "Incapacitated kitty boy, she sent me in her place"

"How do I know you're not the akuma?"

"Look at me. Now look at the giant scales over there. What part of my costume makes you think I have anything in common with glowing yellow scales?"

Chat shrugged, relaxing his stance a little bit. "You have yellow hair." He pointed out.

"So do you."

"Fair point," he said, breaking stance, "but if you betray me or something later I'm holding you accountable for the 'all blonds are evil' stereotype."

"Like that's never happened before." Ladybird mumbled.

Chat didn't hear her, turning instead to look at the scales, scratching his head. "Looks like I'm gunna have to take the lead this mission." He finally said, "first we need to figure out who's been akumatized and why."

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng." Ladybird said with confidence.

Chat choked, clearing his throat. "R-really? I mean, I've only met the girl a couple times during missions, but she seems pretty cheerful and solid in her confidence. Why'd she get akumaized?"

Ladybird twitched. "Lots of reasons from what I understand. She fell down a slope and hit the bottom."

"Why do you know so much?" Chat asked leaning on his staff. After a moment he stood up straight, green eyes wide with understanding. "You're the person who found out Ladybug's identity. She told you all this."

Ladybird nodded, crossing her arms. "More or less. She told me the essential information, well, her kwami did, before I was entrusted with her miraculous."

"Then do you know where Marinette is? Her villain name?"

She shook her head no. "But it should be pretty easy to find her." She nodded at the frozen homeless man, glowing gold through the dim air in an alleyway across the street. "We just need to follow her trail."


	37. Chapter 37

Chat Noir and Ladybird raced across rooftops, following the small trail of frozen Parisians. It spiraled outwards around the city, centered at the golden scales. Rather than chasing after her they decided to sit and wait for the next time she came around. They barely talked, the surrounding silence stifling.

Chime. Chime. A musical metal echoed through the snow. The two heroes stiffened, gripping their weapons. Chime. Chime. Clink. Chime. A golden light shone through the darkened air, lighting the bit of street they could see from where they hid in opposing alleyways. Behind where they hid someone parked their car and opened a door. Ladybird made a move to go out, yell to the person to find safety, but Chat Noir waved her back shaking his head.

"Wha-" The person said, evidently having spotted the new villain. "Y-your eyes!" He yelled, suddenly falling silent.

Ladybird dared a glance back. The man had frozen, eyes shining and body glowing. Car keys were still in her hands. Her yoyo buzzed softly and she opened it to see a message from Chat.

**DON'T LOOK HER IN THE EYES.**

She looked over at him hidden across the street and nodded. Chat held up three fingers. Two. One. They leaped out, looking only at her feet.

Her feet were bare, circlets of gold around her ankles chiming as she walked. A creamy toga draped down her body, middled by a golden rope hanging from her hips. Her skin glowed a bright gold in stark contrast to the black pigtails streaming down her back.

Ladybird risked a glance further up following her golden form up to her head.

"Don't look at her face." Chat Noir reminded her.

It was too late, she had looked at her face, but Ladybird wasn't frozen like the man before. Marinette's eyes were covered by a creamy blindfold, a small gold crown floating above her head. Her impassive face stared blankly ahead at the new hero looking at her. A ball of light started growing from the center of her crown. Ladybird quickly ducked her head down, a second later a bright light flashed.

"It's safe to look at her," Ladybird said, "but when she starts charging light in her crown look away or you'll be frozen."

"You're pretty quick on the uptake huh." Chat said, rising his gaze from the ground.

"Faster than you anyway." She sniffed.

Now knowing how to avoid getting frozen Chat stepped forward. "Marinette," he said.

Her crown started glowing again and they looked away just in time to avoid the flash afterwards.

"There is no Marinette," the figure said, mouth open but lips still, "I am Princess Justice."

"I know you Marinette," Chat pleaded, Ladybird's ears perking up a little, "you're a good person, a strong person. Why are you doing this?"

Her crown started to glow again. Ladybird looked down, avoiding her gaze, but Chat leaped up, vaulting over their heads with his baton. He watched the flash from above, noticing that the light from her crown disappeared for a split second before the flash, the final light glowing out from where Marinette's eyes were behind her blindfold. When it was gone he landed behind her, swinging down his baton over her crown.

Princess Justice parried the blow with a before unnoticed gilded gavel. She turned her face to him as their blows met, crown glowing. Chat jumped back, closing his eyes just in time.

While Princess Justice focused on Chat Noir Ladybird threw her yoyo, wrapping the string around the villain. Princess Justice turned to look at her, crown glowing. Ladybird closed her eyes but instead of a flash she felt the line of her yoyo fall loosen. She allowed her self a peak only to look just in time to see the light on her crown disappear. Ladybird quickly closed her eyes again as the light flashed once more.

Clink. Chime. When she looked up again Princess Justice was a foot away from her face, causing her to stumble back in surprise.

Princess Justice opened her mouth, never moving her lips as the words poured out. "You cannot trap justice," she said, voice steady and echoing. The light started charging in her crown again and Ladybird shut her eyes once again, jumping back.

Chat Noir extended his baton, running up from the side, swiping under the villain's feet. Princess Justice disappeared, reappearing behind him. Chime. Chime.

"Her voice echoed out from her unmoving mouth once more. "Justice shall not be tripped up. Paltry tricks won't bring Justice down."

She disappeared again, reappearing next to the man she had frozen only a few minutes prior. Chime. Clink. Before the heroes could reach her she held up her gavel, lightly tapping the glowing citizen. He disintegrated into a glowing gold dust, floating up opposite the snow to the scales.

"What just happened?" Ladybird asked, stopping in her tracks as she watched the dust drift up.

Princess Justice turned to them, opening her emotionless mouth once more. "You are interfering with my work. Leave me alone. I am not ready for you yet." She disappeared again, this time she did not reappear. The clinking of her anklets ceased within Ladybird and Chat Noir's hearing.

"Well that worked great." Ladybird groaned.

"First plans never work," Chat Noir replied absently. He cupped his chin, thinking. "Why is she like this?" He murmured, "I know she a lot was going on in her life lately but-"

Ladybird narrowed her eyes, watching him. His reaction to Marinette being akumatized was too personal. That left two options. Either he knew Ladybug's true identity or He knew Marinette outside of the couple times he had met her for hero work. The former of the two was unlikely, Marinette had seemed pretty shaken up about anyone knowing her identity. She hadn't even told Luka. She wouldn't have told Chat Noir. That left the latter, Chat Noir knew Marinette outside of his hero identity. It was even possible that he was acquainted with Chloe herself as well.

Ladybird shook her head. She wasn't trying to find out Chat Noir's identity. Right now the important thing was to stop Princess Justice. She thought back to the last time she had seen her. Marinette had been walking away from Luka, they had broken up. It was the coldest Chloe had ever seen Marinette act, but she figured that just what it was. An act. She thought back to the moment before she had interrupted them, made everything worse. Marinette had already seemed incredibly upset, torn up about something other than Luka. Luka was just the tipping point. The article she had read flashed through her mind.

"Hey kitty," She said, snapping him out of his own reflections and planning, "did something happen when you were working with Ladybug earlier today? Well, I guess it would be late yesterday now."

"Why bring it up now?" Chat asked.

Ladybird narrowed her eyes. She was right, Chat didn't know Ladybugs identity. "She seemed a little off when I ran into her earlier."

Chat rubbed the back of his neck, looking up at the dome over the city. "Yah, something happened. We missed an evacuee, an elderly woman who had just moved in to live with her daughter for health reasons. We've never lost anyone in an akuma attack before, I guess Ladybug has never lost anyone at all."

"You have then?" Ladybird asked.

"Uh, yah," he looked her in the eye, face impassive as he recalled the painful memory, "it's kinda personal but I lost my mom a few years ago."

Ladybird stiffened. There was a familiar gleam in his eyes. His green eyes. It couldn't be-

"So why'd you ask?" Chat asked again.

She shook herself. "I was just trying to think about what might make someone so strong snap. The way you describe this Marinette girl sounds similar to Ladybug. I thought we might compare the two."

"Ladybug snapped?" Chat asked, eyes wide with concern.

Ladybird gave a forced smile, "More like she's trapped in her own emotions, there's a reason I'm here instead of her you know."


	38. Chapter 38

"Is this really what we should be doing right now?" Ladybird asked as she followed Chat Noir down to the river.

"We can't find Mar-Princess Justice anyway, we might as well find out why she got akumatized."

"So why the river?" Ladybird asked, a sinking feeling pitting her stomach.

"Her boyfriend lives on a boathouse. He might know something."

Ladybird tensed as they landed by the pirate-like ship. She already knew what had caused Marinette to get akumatized, it was partially her fault after all. Luka probably wasn't feeling too great either. If Princess Justice hadn't already gotten to him anyway.

She walked up the gangplank behind Chat, watching his broad back. A thought occurred to her. "Hey Chat," she said, "Why do you know who this girls boyfriend is?"

Chat stiffened, awkwardly turning to her. "Well, I, uh, Ladybug and I have saved them a couple of times. Anyway, let's hope the residents of this boat are still here."

Ladybird narrowed her eyes. His reaction was way to clumsy. Again Adrien's face flashed through her mind but she shook her head. That was too much of a coincidence, but still…

They went cautiously below deck where they found themselves in a main room, two cabins in front of them. Snoring drifted out from a single cabin behind them by the stairs. Ladybird and Chat Noir looked at each other and nodded. They went up to one of the two doors and knocked lightly.

A moment later it opened revealing an incredibly annoyed Julika rubbing her eyes. "Hey," she mumbled, "why the heck-" She stopped, stepping back as she realized who was in front of her. "Chat Noir and, uh – what?"

"Sorry for disturbing your cat nap," Chat quickly apologized, "We were looking for your brother and didn't know which room was his."

They backed off, heading to the other room but Julika followed them.

"What? Why?" She asked, "is he in trouble?"

"He's not," Ladybird said, "we just need some information that he might be able to give us."

Julika looked her up and down. "Who are you?"

"Just call me Ladybird for now, this is probably only a one time thing."

Chat tapped on the other door.

"Is that you Julika?" Luka asked from the other side of the door, "you need something?"

Chat Noir opened the door and he, Ladybird, and Julika came in. Luka looked up at them, blinking in surprise. Ladybird bit the inside of her cheek. He was still wearing the clothes he had left the opera in. His long blue hair was tousled, brushed out of his face so many times that it was staying in place. A dim light shining from the wall lit his face just enough to reveal the tired wrinkles that had appeared around his bloodshot eyes. On his lap sat a blue bass guitar, his fingers noticeably red from plucking at it aimlessly for hours.

"What's going on?" He asked as the door shut behind them. He turned to his sister. "Julika?"

She shook her head. "No idea, I just followed to see what's up." She squinted. "first though, it's super dim in here bro. I think your lamp needs a new bulb."

Ladybird shook her head. "I'm sorry to say, but its like this all throughout Paris right now."

"And that's why we need your help," Chat said, looking down at Luka seriously, "we thought you might be able to tell us what happened."

"About what?" he asked, setting his bass to the side.

"Has anything happened you your girlfriend Marinette lately?"

No one noticed Ladybird wince as he asked.

Luka's already pale skin seemed to become even paler, practically glowing in the dark shrouded world. He opened his mouth but his throat caught. He closed it and gave a little cough before trying again. Ladybird rubbed her arm, looking down as he spoke. He hung his head, hair falling over his face.

"We broke up."

The room turned to ice and Ladybird took a step back, still watching the floor.

"What." Chat Noir said, unable to quite understand.

Julika looked at her brother, eyes widening. "You what?"

He swallowed, looking up at them with glassy eyes. "Earlier. I, um, haven't really been able to-" A tear slid down his face and he quickly wiped it away. "Um, has something happened to her?"

"She's been akumatized." Ladybird said from the back of the room, crossing her arms.

He sat back a bit, sucking air in. A moment later he sighed, hanging his head again. "I should have known," he said, putting a hand to his hidden face, "I knew something was wrong, but I just, I couldn't help. I mean she wouldn't let me help. Oh gosh, this is my fault."

"Please," Chat said kneeling down in front of Luka, putting a hand on his shoulder, "we want to help her. Do you know of anything the akuma and amok might have flown in to?"

Luka brought his hand down to a thin chain he was wearing around his neck, a ring hanging from it. "She still had the promise ring I gave her a couple years ago. She-she was wearing it when-" He gave a small cough, "um maybe the bracelet I got her for her birthday this year. She was wearing that as well."

Ladybird thought back to Princess justice. The gavel had been distracting, but now that she thought about it there had been a ring on her hand. There had also been a bracelet on her wrist, though at the time she had assumed it was part of the aesthetic like the anklets.

Luka rested his head between his knees, tangling his fingers through his hair. "I'm sorry. This is my fault," His voice was tight, "this is my fault."

"It's no ones fault," Chat said standing up, squeezing his shoulder, "Thanks for your help."

He and Ladybird turned to the door. Julika went over to her brother, sitting next to him.

"Hey," Ladybird said before they left, voice a tone lower than normal, "if Princess Justice appears don't look her in the face."


	39. Chapter 39

"How long has it been?" Ladybird asked, watching the light snowfall. Her breath clouded in front of her and she fell back so she was lying lazily on the smooth top of the Arc de Triomphe.

"A couple hours," Chat answered watching the horizon.

The two had scoured the city for Princess Justice but had only run into her the one time. Now it seemed as if her patterns were random. They had quickly discovered that the villain had frozen the press and law enforcement of the city first. A second go around of the city and they found that some of those they had confirmed to be frozen had disappeared, assumedly sentenced to the same fate they had witnessed Princess Justice administer with her gavel. Despite an extensive search they hadn't run into Princess Justice again.

"I should just use my power," Ladybird said, watching the white flakes fall down onto her as she stared up.

"No yet," Chat Noir said, "We need to save our powers for battle. What happens if you use Lucky Charm and we can't find Princess Justice in time to use it? You detransform and the lucky item disappears."

Ladybird groaned, "Well we can't just sit here waiting for-" She stopped, something catching her eye, "What's that?" she asked sitting up, squinting into the sky.

"What's what?" Chat asked following her gaze.

"That." Ladybird pointed. Here and there shimmering gold specks stood out against the blackness of the dome and whiteness of the snow. Having spotted the trail they watched as the specks flew to the scales towering in the sky.

"Isn't that-" Chat said.

"It's the same thing she did to that man earlier with her gavel." Ladybird confirmed.

Another cluster of gold specks floated up. Then another. And another. And another. Ladybird and Chat Noir stood up, watching the trail. A screeching noise of metal against metal cut through the domes silence. The glowing scales started wobbling, tilting one way or the other.

"This doesn't look good cat," Ladybird said, "We have to do something!"

"Calm your spots. I don't like this development either, but there's one thing this purr-dicament has done for us."

Ladybird rolled her eyes. "And what's that?"

Chat Noir grinned. "We now know where Princess Justice is." He pointed behind them. All the glowing specks were coming from the same directions.

"Fair point," Ladybird said, "let's go."

They jumped off the Arc, leaping from rooftop to rooftop towards the lights source. Behind them The scales continued to dip and pull one way or another. After a couple minuets of running Ladybird glanced back. The scales were tipped ever so slightly to the right, the specks of light seeming to gather in the bowlish plates on either side of the golden contraption.

A cloud of light specks flew directly over their heads. Chime. Clink. Chime. Chime. Princess Justice was somewhere below them. They stopped jumping, ducking down flat on the roof they had stopped on. They peered over the edge, watching the dimmed street for their elusive opponent.

Clink. Chime. She appeared, glowing through the darkness, brighter than the dulled streetlights around her, standing in the center of the street. She turned her head looking at the door directly across from her. She disappeared again. Chime. Chime. She appeared directly in front of the door she had been looking at. A second later she disappeared again.

Ladybird started to get up, worried about losing their target, but Chat pulled her back down pointing at the building's upper windows. Her eyes widened. Just barely visible within them was an old man glowing gold. A cluster of lights flew out of a window on the other side of the building. A second later Princess Justice appeared in the room with the old man. She tapped him with her gavel and his golden particles flew out to the scales as well. Chime. Clink. She reappeared on the street.

"She's going house by house," Ladybird whispered under her breath, "how long is she planning on taking? Honestly."

Princess Justice's head twisted around, head pointing directly up where the heroes where hiding. She disappeared. Chime. Chime. They rolled away from each other as the sound registered directly behind them.

Chat Noir leaped up, extending his baton and swinging it down. Across from him Ladybird stood, throwing out her yoyo. Princess Justice put her hand up, stopping Chat's baton mid-swing, but Ladybirds yoyo wrapped around the gavel in the villains other hand.

"Justice is blind," Princess Justice said, once again with an open mouth and unmoving lips, "but it is far from deaf."

"What happened to running away Princess?" Chat said jumping up. He shrank his staff so he fell towards her, using her hold on it as leverage.

She quickly let go of the baton, hurling it and the attached hero at a chimney. Ladybird pulled at the gavel. Chat Noir pushed off the chimney, lunging at Princess Justice. She disappeared.

Chime. Clink. Ladybird dropped into a somersault, chills shooting down her spine as Princess Justice reappeared behind her. She leapt back up and Chat Noir leaped next to her. They turned to face the villain. The light appeared inside her crown again and they shut their eyes just in time to avoid the freezing flash.

When they opened their eyes again Princess Justice spoke.

"It is time for you to be judged."

"And what's going to happen if we refuse," Chat said, back in his battle groove, "Send us to prison?"

"You have no choice in the matter." She disappeared and reappeared in the same spot only now her back was turn to them.

"You're going to regret underestimating us!" Ladybird yelled leaping forward with her yoyo. It wrapped around its target, "See." She said triumphant.

"It is time." Princess Justice disappeared, Ladybirds yoyo trap falling useless to the ground. She reappeared a few roofs down, closer to the scales.

"How many times are you going to try the same thing bugger?" Chat asked as they ran to reach Princess Justice once again.

"When you stop trying to hit her with your useless pole kitty boy."

Before they reached their target she disappeared again, reappearing even further down. They chased her a few more roofs down before Ladybird realized what she was doing.

"She's leading us to the scales!" Ladybird yelled, nearly slipping on the icy snow beneath their feet in the process.

"Then we better think of something before everything goes the way she wants it to," Chat replied, "we still don't know what those scales do!"

"Maybe we also need a little luck to help the plan along." Ladybird murmured, gripping her yoyo. It was time to shine.


	40. Chapter 40

"LUCKY CHARM!" Ladybird stopped running, throwing her yoyo into the air.

A moment later she caught back up to Chat Noir.

"What'd you get?" He asked as she fell back to pace with him.

"This." She held out a pair of spotted scissors with extremely short and pointy blades.

"What are those? Gardening clips? Sharp tweezers?"

Ladybird rolled her eyes. "Boys." They jumped a chimney. "They're wire cutters, the kind used in jewelry making. Not sure how exactly they're going to help though."

"You'll figure it out," Chat said, "the lucky charm changes depending on its user. Just try and figure it out soon, you only have a few minutes till you transform back."

"Crud. I forgot about that."

They stopped short, the line of buildings ending. Before them were the usually busy streets of Paris surrounding the cement and parks that normally held the Eiffel Tower. Now there stood only the golden scales, all the larger now that they were close to the base. The two heroes followed the ghostly Princess Justice as she made her way to the scales.

Chime. Chime. She stopped in front of the contraption, turning to her stalking opponents. She opened her mouth, words echoing from her mouth.

"Give me your miraculous before I finish my task."

"What do you mean?" Chat asked, "I finish my task?"

"I shall judge all of Paris, including you. I need your miraculous before you are judged."

Ladybird narrowed her eyes. "Why before? Are you planning on making us disappear like the people you've been freezing?"''

Princess Justice said nothing, a light glowing from her crown again. Ladybird and Chat Noir closed their eyes. Chime. Clink. When they opened them again after the resulting flash Ladybird found Princess Justice standing directly in front of her, the villains hands reaching for her earrings. Ladybird jumped back out of reach.

Princess Justice started to charge her freeze light once more. This time Ladybird looked down instead of closing her eyes, watching in case Princess Justice tried to take her earrings again. As their opponents light flashed again an idea occurred to her and she turned to Chat. He had just jumped back from Princess Justice trying to take his ring.

"Hey Chat," she yelled, "How good are you at pinpointing where your Cataclysm hits?"

He shrugged, Princess Justice turning back to the scales. "As good as I am at pointing, I don't have these claws for nothing."

Ladybird grinned. Perfect.

Clink. Chime. "Enough of this," Princess Justice said teleporting back to the scales, "The city will be judged, your miraculous can come afterwords." She raised her gavel and brought it down, tapping the base of the scales.

The entire city started rumbling. The sparkling dust of every person whom she had frozen but not touched with her gavel flew up into the air, culminating on either side of the scales. She had done a lot more damage than the heroes had originally thought. One side of the plates tipped dramatically down as most of the particles gathered in it, the metal of the contraption shrieking as it did. As the scales leaned a low rumble sounded throughout the city. The ground started to tilt on the dark domes axis. A cloud of destructive dust rose from the side of the city that was going down as opposed to up, buildings and streets grating against the earth.

Princess Justice did not move her hammer from the base, holding on tightly even as the ground rocked beneath her feet. Chat Noir and Ladybird attempted to regain their balance, forced to crouch low to the ground to do so. The black dome that covered Paris started to shrink inwards as the city tilted, turning anyone who touched its border to sparkling dust – weighing the scales down more.

"It seems the city is full of evil," Princess Justice said, voice echoing over the ensuing noise, "As soon as the falling scale touches the ground the city of Paris will be no more, and I shall pick your miraculous from its righteous remains!"

Chat jumped over to Princess Justice, attempting to knock her away from the scales and her gavel. She didn't budge, her body as still and unmoving as if she were welded to the structure.

"What are we supposed to do now?" Chat yelled, stumbling over to Ladybird.

Ladybird lowered her brows, looking hard at Princess Justice. "We can't move her," she yelled to her partner, "but it doesn't seem like she can move either! Her rings on the hand holding her gavel, Cataclysm it! Just be careful so you don't touch her hand on accident too!"

He nodded. They leaped over to the frozen villain, the dome closing in and the ground nearing a 90 degree angle. The edge of the darkness hit just across the street, the scales tipping plate nearly touching the ground as the nearly sideways city accelerated it's tilt.

Chat raised his hand yelling, "CATACLYSM!"

Princess Justice swiveled her head to look at him, crown glowing. On her other side Ladybird pounced on the bracelet hanging from the villain's free arm. Chat Noir touched the ring right as Princess Justice's eyes flashed in his face. He froze gold as her ring disintegrated. As the black butterfly flew out Ladybird cut the bracelet off with her wire cutters. Immediately the giant scales melted away as a black feather started to drift off.

Ladybird quickly threw out her yoyo, catching the butterfly and the feather yelling, "Time to de-evilize!" She reopened her yoyo's container allowing the purified akuma and amok to fly free.

She threw up the wire cutters yelling, "MIRACULOUS LADYBIRD!" Millions of sparkling ladybugs burst forth, swirling around the city. The ground that had been torn up by the shaking was restored, the Eiffel Tower back in place above them. One by one the people of Paris returned to where they had been when they were frozen and Chat Noir stop glowing, able to move once more.

"That was way easy," Ladybird said, watching as the ladybugs put everything back in place, "why are Mar-Ladybug's plans so complicated."

"Like I said," Chat Noir said distractedly, looking worriedly at Marinette, "Lucky charms change depending on the person. Complicated plans are obviously not your thing."

The two heroes ran up to where Princess Justice had sunk to her knees, leaving behind only a shell called Marinette. Ladybird's earrings started beeping.

Marinette looked up at them blankly. "Where-" She started. She spotted Ladybird and stopped, tears trailing down her face. "I'm sorry," she said, "It's my fault. I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

"No, it's not," Ladybird said, but the beeping of her earrings stopped her.

"It's okay," Chat Noir said, "I'll take care of it."

Ladybird shifted her eyes between the two before biting her lip and nodding. She threw her yoyo so it attached to something and sped off, leaving Chat Noir to take care of Marinette. The sun started to rise as he knelt by her shivering form, the snow tapering off.

* * *

**AUTHORS NOTE: Hey ya'll, I've been rereading the upcoming chapters and have decided that they're not quite up to snuff. I know I said I'd be updating every day since I'm done typing up the document but I've decided to rework the last couple chapters a bit so I feel more comfortable about their quality. (I actually went over this chapter a little too, actions not really my strong point but it's still better than what it was). I don't have a ton of time to work on it but I'll probably have the chapters fixed and ready to post by next week. As always thank you so much for reading and for all the comments. It really means a lot and keeps up my motivation. We're nearing the end, thank's so much for keeping up to here!**


	41. Chapter 41

"We failed," Madame Plume said, voice low and unpleased.

Winged Gris chuckled. "It was our first round, and we came far closer to getting the miraculous than Hawkmoth ever did."

"We nearly destroyed ourselves as well in the process," Madame Plume snapped, "Now we know why Hawkmoth chose lighter emotions like disappointment, that sort of grief consumes everything."

"Hawkmoth chose lighter emotions because he was weak," He said turning on her, "though it is true we went a little too dark this time. I think a mixture of grief, hate, and disappointment would be ideal."

Madame Plume smiled. "Now you're talking more my language. Where Hawkmoth went for quantity we will go for quality. Patience will be our key."

"Glad we agree on something, won't you tell me why you want the miraculous as well?"

Madame Plume flipped open her fan, waving it lightly in front of her face. "Only if you tell me why you want them."

He sighed, shaking his head, "I already know you have a penchant for lying."

Madame Plume giggled. "I'll tell the truth if you do, we _are_ working together after all."

He stroked his chin for a second. "Very well. I thought I would do what my uncle failed to."

She snorted. "Bring your aunt back to life? How meaningless."

"Not my aunt, no, my uncle had more than his fair share of time to try and succeed with her," He turned to the giant window over shadowing the lair, "I will bring back my father and show my uncle that I succeeded where his selfishness failed."

"I do like the idea of rubbing failure into Agreste's face," Madame Plume said, snapping her fan closed, "but you're only imitating failure."

Winged Gris's expression darkened for a moment before turning so his 'partner' could see his face as he calmly raised an eyebrow. "Oh, Madame Plume? And what ambitions have ruffled your feathers?"

She gave a sharp laugh, glaring at him. "There have been too many people looking down on me. I want the power to control them all."

"World domination?" Winged Gris said, tapping his cane on the echoing floor, "how quaint."

"Not quite world domination," Madame Plume replied walking up to him and looking him in the eye, "it's a bit more personal than that."

* * *

"I'm sorry," Marinette sobbed, leaning into Chat Noir as he comforted her, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

"Hey, hey," Chat said, rubbing her back, "it's not your fault. It was hawkmoth and his-"

"It wasn't Hawkmoth." Marinette said, freezing, "Oh my gosh, Chat, it wasn't Hawkmoth."

"What do you mean?"

"It was the same power as Hawkmoth, but it wasn't him or Mayura." She wiped her tears and shivered, suddenly feeling the cold. "One called himself Winged Gris and the other called herself Madame Plume."

"Hey," Chat said, watching her shudder, "you're freezing," His ring beeped, "and I'm about to transform back. Let's get you home."

"But the new super villains- Chat!"

He stood up, pulling her with him. "We'll talk after you're warm and my identity isn't about to be discovered."

He grabbed her around the waist and launched his baton into the air, leaping across the city with Marinette in his arms. Luckily her house wasn't too far away from the tower and they reached it in a couple of minutes. She was greeted by her parents hugging her and asking what happened. Chat Noir left and hid as his ring ran out of power.

"One more time Plagg," he said, feeding his kwami.

"Already?" Plagg whined, "but we've been fighting all night. I'm exhausted!"

"Sorry Plagg, but this is important."

When he transformed back he leaped up to Marinette's roof, knocking lightly on the top hatch to her room before sliding in. She was waiting for him, curled up on a chair with a blanket and hot chocolate. Her eyes were red and her skin a sickly kind of pale. She was safe and doing better than she had been, but she was more torn up than he had ever seen her.

"Hey Chat," She said, giving him a weak smile, "I asked my parents to give me some time alone. They're worried but we won't be interrupted at least."

"Thanks Princess," He said softly, walking over to her, "you okay?"

She swallowed, blinking back tears. "I've been saying yes for so long now Chat-"

He looked at her seriously. "Tell the truth then."

She shook her head, a couple more tears falling down her cheeks. "I-I'm really not. I'm not okay Chat, and I don't think I have been for a while."

Chat Noir almost went in for a hug, noticing her hot chocolate just in time and touching her shoulder instead.

She shook herself, blinking away the wetness of her eyes and taking another sip of her warm drink. "Sorry Chat, none of that's important right now, Winged Gris-"

"It is important," Chat said seriously, "we can talk about the new villains in a moment but you've been through a lot in this last night. Tell me what happened. Why were you akumatized?"

She looked down at her hot chocolate, a small, pained, smile on her lips. "My boyfriend broke up with me last night. I guess that was the tipping point. Oh gosh, I sound like a whiny teenager."

Chat inhaled sharply. This wasn't like the Marinette he knew at all. How much had she been holding back this whole time? He narrowed his eyes, ready to hear her out. "You _sound_ like a broken-hearted lover."

She gave a halfhearted giggle. "That's so lame."

He stood back, scratching the back of his head. "Sorry. But seriously, he must have been dumb to break up with you. I met him earlier and he seemed pretty broken up about it too. Why do something that makes you both miserable?"

"I think he was right," Marinette said, setting her hot chocolate aside, "This is for the best." Her voice cracked, a couple tears falling from her lashes.

"You love him." Chat said. She nodded. He clenched his fists, "He loves you too. I don't understand."

Marinette's eyes dulled, staring at nothing. "We were no good together, or, rather, I was no good for him." She swallowed, eyes shining, "I didn't have time to support him, and I never let him support me. I never let him, or anyone I guess, in."

"What are you talking about?"

She looked up at him, mouth pressed into a grim line. Her eyes hardened, serious. "I think it's possible that you're the only person in the world who could possibly understand what I-" She paused, searching his face, "never mind. I guess my point his I was wrong for him, and I made it impossible for him to be right for me."

He squatted down on the floor, sighing. "I just don't understand how two people so good together could fall apart so badly."

Marinette pulled her blanket around her tighter, sliding out of her chair and sitting on the floor next to Chat. "It's for the best," she reiterated, voice raspy, "with this we both can live our own lives. He deserves more than I can give him."

He placed his hand comfortingly on her knee. "You deserve more than he could give you too."

She smiled, wiping her eyes dry. If only he could be this sincere as Ladybug, she might have fallen for him before she turned to Luka. She leaned forward and gave him a friendly peck on the cheek. "Thanks kitty, you're sweet."

He blushed a little beneath his mask. Marinette had been friendly as long as he had known her, if a bit clumsy, but she had never been this open with Adrien. Or with any of her friends really, as far as he could remember. There had always been something she was holding back. He studied her long black hair and bluebell eyes as she sat back, he had always had a type. It should have been obvious after Kagami. Sitting here now, catching a glimpse of Marinette completely open for the first time, he wondered how he had never seen it before.

He shook his head a bit, reminding himself to leave his love life for his real life. His eyes sharpened and he leaned forward a bit. "Now then," he said, "what's this about new villains?"

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey ya'll, I'm back! You would not believe the week I've had so far. (Also my excuse for being a bit later than I meant to be with this chapter). **

**So. I'm staying with one of my best friends and her family (old family friends) and have been since quarantine started because I'm going to school out of state and they're closer than my family. I'm pretty lucky and not stuck inside because it's a farmhouse. Anyway, over the weekend and injured Blue Heron appeared by their pond. We caught it and drove over an hour to a wildlife rescue to drop it off. **

**At the same time my friend had another friend visiting for the day who is really cool, she speaks fluent Hungarian (though she say's it's a with a backwater accent) and her family is from Romania I think. So that was a ton of fun, but not the only things that happened! **

**Okay, so, early this week we're invited to go spend the day with different family friends (of the family I'm staying with, not of my family). They're renting really nice rooms right next to a beach. It was a little stormy while we were there and it's still considered off season so there was more than enough room to have fun and keep safe social distancing. We found a ton of shells and things which were cool and a kid even caught a small blue crab. We also played card games and stuff as well when it was time to wind down. All and all a super fun experience, but it didn't leave much time for writing.**

**No, there's still more. One of my front teeth is actually more or less fake because of a stupid scootering accident back when I was in elementary school. Well I've grown enough since then that it's time for me to get a permanent crown and guess what was scheduled for this week? My mouth was numb all morning. (technically I was only getting the mold for it done though, still have my temporary crown till the permanent one is sculpted).**

**So ya, Those are all pretty much my excuses for taking so long, but man it actually feels like I've done things this week which is great. I believe there is only one chapter left after this one and then I will be posting an extended authors note that will have it's own chapter tag. Thank you so much for reading (and sorry for my rambling) and thank you for the reviews as well, they're super fun to read and make my day! Hope you enjoy!**


	42. Chapter 42

The Dupain-Cheng's nervously glanced at each other but allowed the blond girl in, directing her to Marinette's room. Chloe made her way up the stairs, trying hard to ignore the nervous pounding resounding in her chest. She slid her hand into her pocket, absently fingering the earrings inside.

She stared up at the hatch above her head, getting ready to rap on the smooth entrance, when she heard the low murmur of voices. Her brows drew together, her parents had mentioned that Marinette wanted to be alone. Did they know she had a visitor already?

She pushed up, peaking in. Her eyes widened as she spotted Chat Noir sitting next to Marinette on the floor. She tossed the hatch open, making them jump. They turned, startling as they watched Chloe pull herself into the room.

"C-Chloe?" Marinette said, unsure how to react, "w-what are you doing here?"

"A couple of things actually," She said, tossing a curled lock of hair over her shoulder. She bent down and closed the hatch, not breaking eye contact with the two before her. "The first was to admit that I shouldn't have stuck my nose into your and Luka's argument. Honestly though, your assumptions were way out of line and unfair to Luka."

Marinette ducked her head, biting her lip.

"Hey," Chat said, soft but stern, "that has nothing to do with you right now, leave her alone."

Chloe raised an eyebrow but observed Marinette's red eyes and bit back her retort. It was really partly her fault she had been crying after all. She took a breath, calming herself. She had forced her way in the room unannounced, into the situation unannounced. It didn't matter if Marinette didn't look at her own flaws, Chloe reminded herself, so long as Chloe herself recognized _her_ own flaws.

"The other reason," Chloe said, wincing at the strain entering her voice, "is-" she felt the earrings in her pocket, glancing at Chat Noir, "uh, does he-"

She remembered Chat Noir's reaction's when she talked about Ladybug and Marinette together. No. He didn't know her identity. And, from the looks of it, she had walked in on another important conversation. Ridiculous. Her timing was simply utterly ridiculous.

"Never mind," Chloe said quickly, "I already know the answer."

Chat leaned over to Marinette and whispered, "What is she talking about?"

Marinette narrowed her eyes not answering, refusing to look away from Chloe. Could she trust her? Sure she had de-akumatized Marinette, but would she go beyond that? Keep Marinette's secret, return the miraculous discreetly without asking for anything in return? As Marinette watched Chloe she saw her hand slip into her pocket. That was where the miraculous was.

"Uhh," Chat said, "do I need to go? I can come back to hear about the new villains later."

"Yes," Marinette said.

At the same time Chloe said, "No."

Chat froze halfway up from his seat, unsure what to do with the conflicting answers.

Chloe took advantage of his hesitation and stepped forward, getting a better look at the two. Marinette specifically looked haggard. At the opera house she had looked empty, like a china doll. Now the sleepless night had caught up to her. Deep circles sagged heavily beneath her eyes, rimed red with half dried tears. Her skin had warmed but had not recolored, a sickly yellow tint taking hold of her already pale features. She was worn through.

"Tsk," Chloe squatted down in front of Marinette, grabbing Chat's wrist and pulling him back down next to them.

"What are you-" Marinette started.

"You'll thank me for this later," Chloe said taking the earrings out of her pocket. If Marinette continued to do things the way she did she was going to die of overwork rather than an akuma. "I am going to be a good person Marinette, even if it means I have to lose Ladybug's trust." She held out the earrings in plain view.

Marinette blanched, blood running cold. She snatched the earrings out of Chloe's hand, standing in her rush. Chat looked between them, furrowing his brow. He watched Marinette's hair stream behind her as she stood, glimpsing the earrings before she grabbed them out of Chloe's hand. His eyes grew wide as the meaning behind the movement clicked, slitted eyes rounding with understanding.

"Ladybug?" He breathed.

She sank to her knees, holding her head. "Chloe," she said, "see what you've done?"

Chloe took a step back, blood rushing to her face. "It's time you let him know. You won't be able to continue if this keeps up, and Paris _needs_ you to continue. Even _I_ can see that." She bit her tongue, clenching her fists. She refused to regret this decision, even if it meant she could never see Pollen again. This time she knew for sure, she was in the right.

"Marinette," Chat Noir asked, standing up, "you're Ladybug?"

Marinette turned to him, helpless. If they ever did find out each other's identities she didn't want it to be like this. Choe narrowed her eyes, the playing field wasn't even yet. She had to make the situation worse. She didn't have time to confirm anything so she really hoped her guess was right.

"Let me even the playing field," Chloe said. Both Marinette and Chat Noir looked at her, the latter with dawning understanding of who Ladybird was and how much he might have given away. Somehow it didn't cross his mind to stop her. "Chat Noir is Adrien Agreste."

Marinette turned bright red, flaring up. She balled her fists and marched up to Chloe. "Get out." She said, voice low, "now."

Chloe complied. Outside she rounded a corner and leaned her head on the cool stone wall of the building next to her. It took all of two second for her to comprehend what her new moral compass had led her to do.

She was an idiot. Why did she do that? She revealed both of their identity's to each other. She squeezed her fingers into fists, fake nails trying in vain to dig into her palms. It was the right thing to do, Marinette couldn't keep on going like that, but- after everything she had done to gain their trust, in the end she had betrayed it.

"I'm sorry Pollen." She whispered. Ladybug would never trust her now. She would never be Queen Bee again. No one would ever believe that she had truly changed for the better. A frustrated tear slid down her nose and she stood up straight, quickly blinking it away. She had lost any chance of achieving her goals, she wasn't going to let her makeup run on top of that.

At that moment she felt something hit the hair clips pulling her hair back. A familiar chilling sensation came over her as the sound around her dimmed. She clutched at the wall before her, breathing hard.

"Hello Empress, I am Winged Gris."

"I am Madame Plume."

"No," Chloe breathed, pushing away from the wall and holding her head, "leave me alone."

An electrifying pain shot through her head and she clenched her teeth.

"The world has abandoned you," Madame Plume said, voice reverberating through Chloe's skull, "I can give you a throne that will let you sit above it all."

"No!" Chloe said, her fingers tearing through her hair.

"As Empress everyone will see the new you," Winged Gris said, "you can prove to the world that you have changed for the better, and they will love you for it."

"NO!" Chloe yelled, fingers finding the hair clips. They were two halves of wings that she like to wear in place of the bee miraculous.

"The world has abandoned you," Madame Plume said again.

"The world has abandoned you," Winged Gris reiterated.

"Let us help you be seen again." They said together.

"Even if I lose everything else I still have my pride!" Chloe yelled, snatching the twin clips out of her hair, "Even if no one else is watching I can still see myself!" She threw them on the ground, the now loose strands of her pinned back bangs drifting in front of her face.

She gasped, head immediately clearing. Chloe leaned against the wall, grinning. She hadn't lost herself. She was still as close to the best person she could ever be. She would win back Ladybug's trust and Pollen some other way.

"Even if no one else sees my accomplishments," she murmured to herself, straightening her back, "I will know what I have done."

* * *

Chloe sat in the university's courtyard, purse holding down the pile of loose papers in front of her. Her head was resting lightly against her hand as she studied the information in front of her. She was required to make a business presentation for class and was choosing what information to include.

"Hey."

Chloe's head shot up. Marinette stood sheepishly in front of her, awkwardly rubbing her arm. She had cut her hair short. Extremely short. It framed her face making it look thinner and more adult.

"I thought you weren't talking to me," Chloe said, raising an eyebrow, "hair looks nice though."

"Look, Chloe, I saw what happened that day."

"What do you mean?"

"You know, after I told you to leave. After you exposed my, well anyway, I saw the akuma hit you from my roof while I was seeing Adrien off."

Chloe rolled her eyes, swiping her hair out of her face. "It was nothing."

"Keeping yourself from getting akumatized is not nothing," Marinette sighed. "Look. I've been unfair. To you and to myself."

Chloe listened, chewing the inside of her cheek. She wasn't used to Marinette being anything other than wary and condescending with her.

Marinette continued, sitting across from Chloe. "I'd like to say I didn't give you a second chance, but I'm not sure I every gave you any chances at all. I've never expected anything from you and that was unfair. As for being unfair to myself, well, I should've been open to more people. I should have allowed myself to lean on them instead of pushing them away until it was too late."

"What are you building up to?" Chloe asked, staring into Marinette's shifting gaze, "Hurry up and spit it out."

Marinette rolled her eyes. "I'm going to start letting people help me," She slid her hand into her purse, "and I'm going to start with you. You forced me to share my secret with the one person who understands my problems the most. I didn't like it but it's worked out for the better, I think. At the very least I know _why _you did it. To top it off you refused to be akumatized despite being hit by both an akuma and an amok. You have earned my trust." She took out a small wooden case and slid it across the table.

Chloe's lower lip started to tremble, gently taking the case and caressing the lid as though she were afraid it would disappear. She glanced around and, seeing that it was all clear, opened it up. A bright yellow light flashed and the large eyed bee kwami zoomed out. Chloe's lips parted in a disbelieving smile as Pollen bowed before her.

"I'm glad to be with you again my queen," Pollen said. The kwami flew up to Chloe and gave her as big a hug as its tiny arms would allow. Chloe returned the hug tenderly. "See," Pollen whispered into her ear, "being worthy isn't as complicated as you think."

* * *

Ladybug and Chat Noir had changed their looks slightly, joined by new heroes who were reminiscent of the ones Miracle Queen had exposed all those years ago. But that was to be expected, people reasoned, they were using the old miraculous after all. The users themselves must be new, there was no way the old holders would be allowed to wear them after being exposed. These thoughts were the very reasons the heroes identity's were safer than ever, no one would dream of giving an exposed superhero their powers back so the exposed heroes were never questioned. A fresh breeze blew through Paris as the winter months came to an end and spring flowers began to bloom.

Despite all this, sad songs had been the only ones floating down the river for the past couple months. A couple weeks into spring and the first truly warm day of the year appeared. Chloe walked down the Riverwalk, relishing in the sun's rays. She stopped when she spotted Luka.

He hadn't changed much, had just changed shirts to suit the warmer weather. A crowd stood around him, cheering each time he finished a song. She stood at the back, listening to his melancholy chords. This wasn't her first time listening to him since his breakup, but she never went up to speak with him afterwards. She would just stand there silently until he was done.

He spotted her standing in the back, finishing his last song with a flourish that gained a smattering of applause.

"Hey," He said to the crowd, mellow voice keeping them from leaving, "it's too nice a day for songs like these. I think I'll play a new one today, I wrote it for a dear friend."

His fingers slid around his guitars neck, a completely different tune spilling out. The notes were quick, though each bridge ended on a long, slow note. Chloe closed her eyes, feeling the sun on her face as the song mixed with the day. Each chord was lazy, each shift in tone busy. The lyrics were warm and fuzzy and gold. The song bumbled around neatly, like a bee looking for nectar. The last sweet notes died away and the crowd clapped, sad that the song was gone.

Luka started packing up and the crowd dispersed. Chloe turned to leave only for an eager hand to grab her wrist stopping her.

"Uh, hey," Luka said, quickly letting go as Chloe turned back to him.

"Hey." She replied, readjusting her bag.

"Look," Luka said, scratching the back of his head, "I wrote that last song for you."

Chloe blinked, a light blush tinting her cheeks. "Oh, well, thanks."

"I just, I just wanted you to know that I don't blame you for my breakup with Marinette. We had been having issues for a while, everything just happened to boil over that night." He gave her a small smile, "Actually, I'd like to thank you Chloe. You were right, I need to do what I want for a while."

Chloe smiled too, straitening her back. "_I'm_ almost always right," she said, voice laced with laughter, "didn't you know?"

Luka offered a small chuckle. "Seriously though," he said, "I really appreciate you encouraging me."

"If you _really_ want to thank me," she said tossing her hair back, "then you can finish getting over Marinette and ask _me_ out instead."

"Uh," Luka said, reddening a little, "I'm not sure how to respond to that."

Chloe's smile turned into a grin and she spun on her heels, walking away. "Just say okay and call me for a dinner date when you feel up to dating again. Honestly Luka dear, you're adorable but ridiculous, _utterly_ ridiculous."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE : Hooray! Last chapter! I made it all the way through! There is one more chapter after this but it's just an extended authors note. I'll be going over some of the thing's I wanted to do but couldn't squeeze in, what I think the different characters are doing with their lives, ect. It won't be too long I hope, but longer than any of my other authors notes for sure which is why it's getting it's own chapter.**

**Real quick, someone asked a question in the reviews for the last chapter and I want to clarify. Marinette does not remember being akumatized, however I have always assumed that akuma victims could remember what Hawkmoth said to them just after the akuma hit them but before they were turned into a villain. If this weren't the case then I'm not sure how people could fight his control like Chloe or Madame Bustier have done previously in the show.**

**Thank you all so much for reading! This was my first multi-chapter fan-fic and only my second fic published online to begin with. I enjoyed writing it and all the great reviews super encouraged me to keep it up. Thank you all so much again, I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing!**


	43. Authors Note

**THANK YOU**

**Hey all! I know I've said this before, but I'll say it again, Thank you so much for reading! It means a ton. I mentioned this in the last chapter, but this is only my second fan-fic I've published online and It's my first multi-chapter fic ever. (The first fic is a one-shot about the cabbage merchant from Avatar the Last Airbender. Not my finest work, but it was a fun character study to be sure.) I got way more reviews than I was expecting and a lot more readers as well. It really means a lot. Now then, let's get in to the long stuff.**

**First thing's first. I am an over writer. What I mean by that is that Staying Proud was supposed to be five chapters tops. Originally I only wanted it to be a one shot. Yah. Ya'll know how well that worked out... Now, at 42 chapters (gosh, that number really is the answer to life) I actually left a lot out.**

**WHAT I LEFT OUT**

**Okay, so. The ending to Staying Proud was rushed. I know it reads like that a bit and that's because it is rushed. The point at which I ended was originally about the 2/3 mark of the story with a bit more to come. Then I hit 40,000 words and was like "okay, I don't have the time to actually get through everything the way I want to. I need to end this." 10,000 or so words later I did. Because of this decision however, there are a few loose plot threads that were never tied up.**

**The most noticeable to me personally is Adrien's relationship with Kagami. It is mentioned in the earlyer chapters that he had been dating her but they had broken up. There's actually more focus on this then there needs to be, but that's because I was planning on bringing it back. Kagami was supposed to return to Paris and be part of the final third of the story. It was supposed to build up to Adrien getting akumatized, being the final boss if you will.**

**That takes me to the next thing I left out. Hawkmoth and Mayura's identity's were supposed to be revealed once they lost their miraculous. Originally it was going to segway from that reveal, to the new villains, to Adrien getting akumatized. Hawkmoth and Mayura were never supposed to be the main villain's in my story, they were just a prelude to the larger threat.**

**Speaking of which, Felix and Lila were supposed to eventually get redeemed. Ish. Redeemed-ish. I had been planning on going over their motivations a bit more. Why does Lila feel the need to lie all the time? Why can't Felix move on from his fathers death? Ect. Originally they were supposed to be defeated and forced to go over their true motivations as they considered their choices. A final "am I really evil" if you will. Instead I chose to end with a "oh no! New villains!" because I really just don't have the time to go as far as I wanted to.**

**Okay. Marinette. I worked really hard to build up to a believable break down and akumaziation of her. I've been following the show for a long time. Like, since the leak of the original anime PV long. I loved her hair in that so I decided to use those extra six years for her to grow it out. Then of course there's that whole comment that when she's an adult she has a short hair cut. I incorporated that into the last chapter, kind of a throw away comment really, but I had been planning on making it a larger thing. I had a whole mini-arc planned so that she could excuse the fact that she had the same sudden hair cut change as Ladybug and everything.**

**The ships were supposed to be a little more built up than the end product has. I wanted more Marichat and Chloe-Luka(I have no idea what the fan name for Chloe-Luka is). Starting them all out as friend and building to romance as they learn to let go of the past. Did not happen. I did not have time to make that happen. I will say I just like the idea of Chloe being with an artsy guy. When I came across the whole idea of Chloeanial (ignore my terrible spelling) I was surprised how well I thought it fit. Then there was her whole calling Luka "cute" in Miracle Queen while akumatized and I thought, why not? Why not let her build a relationship from someone who wasn't affected by her in her worst years? Someone who was willing and ready to give her a second chance. I took it and ran. I'm just a little sad I didn't have more time to build it up.**

**Last thing I planned to do more with was Chloe's grandmother. My goodness. Of course she was supposed to return! I had a whole backstory for her and everything. A Bourgeois never regrets. That is repeated through out my story. And yet the grandmother is surrounded by a melancholy that reeks of regret. Grandmere was not always the person she appears to be in the story. There's a reason Chloe felt safe and comfortable running to her. I'm sad I had to cut her part short as she was a large reason for Chloe's change of attitude despite her personality.**

**CHARACTERS **

**I'm not sure I've mentioned this before or not, but originally this fan fiction was just supposed to be a character study. How would Chloe feel about the events of Miracle Queen? She must know that everyone would remember this, she would be ostracized. So on, so forth. Needless to say I love character, and man did I have a field day with the ones in Miraculous. Not everything got in there and no one got as much screen time as I had originally planned so I thought I'd add a little description here. Where did everyone go?**

**Alix has a strong personality and the advantage of having small glimpses into her future. She works pizza-delivery part time as well as a couple other jobs to pay for school. She's a bit wiser than she was a few years ago, but as true to herself as ever and really hasn't changed much. She's currently going to an engineering school and is much more technically minded than a lot of her old classmates.**

**Julika has overcome her fear of getting her picture taken. On the contrary, she takes pride in her pictures now and has started on the path to become a career model. She's been doing this for a few years now and has a pretty solid following. Many people consider her the female equivalent to Adrien Agreste himself. She's still pretty quiet and prefers her time alone (introvert through and through), but her confidence has taken a big leap.**

**Rose is a little bit of a major hopper, not quite sure what she wants to do quite yet. Not that this bothers her. On the contrary, she takes great joy in the fact that she has endless possibility's before her. She's grown her hair out a little but that's honestly the biggest change she's had. She's technically in the music department and has a growing online following for her hardcore unicorn metal music but she's also considered management among other things. She still keeps in contact with Prince Ali (who has developed a somewhat serious crush on the entirely oblivious and well meaning girl, like, she's worse than Adrien) and does a ton of volunteer work, much of it overseas. **

**Max graduated early and took both the world of robotics and the world of programming by storm. Now entirely wealthy but extremely bored he returned to college to hang out with his old friends, deciding a degree in business couldn't hurt. He's even offered to help Alix pay her way through school, though the girl vehemently refused.**

**Kim attends school on scholarship and is currently training for the summer Olympics where he has declared he'll bring France gold in every swimming event. Never mind the fact that he's not technically allowed to participate in every single event. His grades could use some work but the money he makes swimming professionally has been invested with help from Max and Alix, making sure he'll be able to live comfortably even without a degree when he retires.**

**Mylene is currently working towards a degree in film, specializing in camera work and lighting. She's still the main carrier of the mouse miraculous, but her always bustling schedule means that she's not always the first person Ladybug asks for help. She and Ivan are still dating, though they hit a rough patch a few years back when discussing possible college choices. In the end they went for the same degree, made up, and are now planning their wedding set for about a year after the events of this fan-fic.**

**Ivan has had a confidence boost over the years, though he's still a silent wonder. Like his girlfriends he is getting a degree in film, though he specializes in editing and sound work. He proposed to Mylene on New Years after a series of nervous blunders and turns bright red anytime it's mentioned. He is attending on partial sports scholarship for heavy weight wrestling and came in second at his last tournament.**

**Though Nathaniel is still attending school for an art degree he is actually already a published and successful comic book artist working together with Marc. I imagine they work together kind of like the two main characters of the anime Bakuman (highly recommended if you've ever wondered what the manga industry is like and how it works). Currently a live-action movie is in the works based on their most popular superhero.**

**Alya is currently interning as the news station with a second internship lined up for the paper. Since the power of the fox miraculous has returned to her in the last chapter, she's been balancing life like Superman and Peter Parker combined. She never seems to be around for the action but was apparently always in the right place at the right time, always able to get the full scoop and the best pictures. She and Nino are in line to be married after Mylene and Ivan, the date continuously getting pushed back as Alya buries herself in work. They don't mind though, they'll be ready when they're ready.**

**Nino works part time as a freelance DJ, quickly gaining popularity for privet events and clubs alike. He's getting a music degree focused on synthesized and electric music and instruments. Despite all this he works perfectly well as Carapace now that he has his miraculous back and the newly restored temple of the guardians are keeping an eye on him as a potential recruit for their European branch.**

**Sabrina is getting a business and marketing degree, same as Chloe. I was actually going to write the two friends making up but, since I cut everything short, I'll just mention that they have made up here. She's still very much a follower, but that's okay. She followes the people she agrees with and helps get things done. Her work ethic has made her popular during her internships, building her resume and pile of letters of recommendation. As Chloe builds her empire I imagine Sabrina's right there with her as VP, making sure everything runs smoothly but still able to take time for herself.**

**Okay. I think that's everyone. I think. I actually spent way too long on this but whatever, it was fun.**

**FINAL THANKS**

**Oh. My. Gosh. I'm actually done. As you can see there really was a whole lot more I meant to add but just didn't have the time to. I have a lot of personal projects that are taking priority right now, but I'm glad I was able to finish with decent quality. Thank you all so much for reading, commenting, favorite-ing, whatever. Just thank's so much. It means a ton. I'm planning on writing more fan-fictions in time but I'm pretty sure I'm considered a fandom hopper, so while I'll come back to Miraculous there's probably going to be a few stops along the way. (currently in my plans is an unofficial Joker origin story and a crossover crack between hunger games and barbie. Gosh I have no life.) Really and truly, thank you for getting this far. I hope you all enjoyed Staying Proud and I would love it if you read more things I write for this fandom in the future.**

**One last time for the readers in the back, THANK YOU!**


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